The European Union must suspend the association agreement with Israel in response to “crimes against humanity” committed in Gaza. This is being asked by over a million citizens who supported the “Justice for Palestine” petition.
The initiative, promoted by the European Left Alliance group, was launched last January 13, and managed to reach the goal of one million signatures in record time, even exceeding the national thresholds required in 10 Member States, three more than the minimum of seven required by EU rules.
Now the European Commission will have to examine the request and decide whether or not to proceed with a formal request for suspension of the agreement, which however will have to be approved by the member countries in the EU Council.
Reaching one million signatures represents “a true victory for citizens” as well as proof that “people in Europe refuse to remain silent, indifferent and complicit in the genocide in Palestine”, said French MEP, Manon Aubry, leader of the radical left group The Left in the European Parliament.
In a press conference at the European Parliament, Aubry insisted on the need to suspend the EU-Israel agreement, arguing that the mobilization demonstrates growing pressure from below on European institutions.
Rima Hassan is also along the same lines, denouncing how today it is increasingly difficult to even open a debate on the topic in the EU institutions, speaking of Israel’s growing “impunity”. The French MEP also called for a “total embargo on arms sales to put an end to the crimes” of Israel.
According to the MEPs, the million signatures marks a transition to a “mass movement”, and represents a clear signal: a part of European public opinion is asking the Union to use its political and economic weight to intervene in the Middle East.
