Fiala: The European Union should not terminate the association agreement with Israel

Brussels – The Czech Republic is among the countries that believe the European Union should not terminate the association agreement with Israel, said Prime Minister Petr Fiala after the conclusion of Thursday’s summit in Brussels. According to him, the debate on the Middle East was not straightforward, as individual European countries have differing opinions on some issues.

“The Czech Republic is among the countries that believe we should not terminate the association agreement and take steps that would ultimately lead to losing the opportunity for dialogue,” Fiala responded to a question from ČTK. “We believe this is the position that is the most rational and should prevail,” he added. However, countries like Spain and Ireland hold the opposite view.

The head of EU diplomacy Kaja Kallas announced at the end of May that the European Union would reassess the association agreement with Israel due to the catastrophic situation in the Palestinian Gaza Strip, particularly regarding violations of Article 2, which pertains to human rights. International pressure on Israel has increased in recent weeks after the Israeli army intensified and expanded its military offensive in the Gaza Strip.

This week on Monday, Kallas presented the results of the review to foreign ministers, which indicated that Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip may have violated the conditions of the association agreement. Further steps are to be discussed at the July meeting of the foreign ministers of the bloc. (June 27)