Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

I agree with the Deputy. Following a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council last Tuesday, the EU High Representative announced that the EU would finally conduct a review of Article 2 of the EU-Israel association agreement. This is an important decision that reflects the grave concerns held by member states regarding the situation in Gaza. We went from two countries - Ireland and Spain - calling for this to 17 countries at that meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council.

The EU remains steadfast in its calls for the release of all hostages by Hamas, the urgent resumption of negotiations and, crucially, a free-flowing surge of humanitarian aid. However, we are now seeing agreement from a clear majority of member states on the need to exert more effective influence on Israel to reverse course, halt its military operations, to put it mildly, and to cease its obstruction of lifesaving aid. Such a step is about using the European Union's influence to effect positive change on the ground. As the House is aware, Ireland and Spain called for this step to be taken in February 2024. Since then, the situation has only become immeasurably worse with catastrophic consequences for the civilian population and a real risk of famine.

It is my strong view that if Israel is deemed in breach of its obligations - and how can it not be? - such a finding must be followed by concrete action. The human rights clauses in these agreements are not just there for padding. They are not discretional extras. They must have impact. There must be a consequence to breaching the human rights clauses in the agreement. This is a position I have reiterated clearly, alongside my counterparts from Spain, Slovenia and Luxembourg, in a joint letter to the High Representative in advance of the Foreign Affairs Council meeting. We underlined in that letter the need for a review to be undertaken urgently. Based on this work, the High Representative, working with the Commission as a whole, should bring forward concrete proposals for appropriate measures. As I have made clear in the Dáil this week, it is Ireland's view that the operation of the association agreement should be suspended pending the outcome of a review of Israel's compliance.

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