The Government formally asks the EU Council for a debate to vote on the break with Israel despite the ceasefire in Lebanon

The Government of Pedro Sanchez has gone a step further and has formally asked the EU Foreign Affairs Council to open a debate to vote the breakdown of the association agreement with Israel.

The movement comes in the midst of negotiations in Washington.

In the next few hours, the Lebanese president and the Israeli prime minister will travel to the American capital to try to close an agreement to end hostilities between two countries formally at war since 1948.

The truce on Israel’s northern border has eased military pressure but not political pressure.

Moncloa considers that the ceasefire does not erase months of devastation in Lebanon nor the complaints of violations of international law, and is now using the European forum to try to review relations with the Government of Benjamin Netanyahu.

This change is materialized in a joint letter sent to the high representative and vice-president of the Commission, Kaja Kalla.

The letter, signed by the Foreign Ministers of Spain, Slovenia and Irelanddemands that the next Council meeting explicitly include “a debate on the EU-Israel Association Agreement” and on “the possibility of its suspension.”

EL ESPAÑOL has had access to the letter sent to the High Representative.

In it, Jose Manuel AlbaresTanja Fajon and Micheál Martin attack Netanyahu’s Executive for military operations in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon and for the measures approved in the Knesset, including the death penalty for Palestinian terrorists.

The three ministers write that “the situation in Gaza is unbearable”, denounce “the systematic persecution, oppression, violence and discrimination against the Palestinian population” and point out that “radical settlers act with absolute impunity” in the West Bank.

In his opinion, the introduction of the death penalty represents “a serious violation of human rights and a setback in Israel’s democratic commitment.”

The text focuses in a special way on the offensive on Lebanon.

The Foreign Affairs headlines demand that the attacks “cease immediately,” even though they have already stopped due to the ceasefire. And they recall that more than a million people have had to leave their homes and describe the threats to occupy the Lebanese territory south of the Litani River and destroy the homes of the civilian population as a “flagrant violation of international law.”

The authors of the letter reproach Netanyahu for having ignored “the numerous statements” and “direct calls” from the EU to respect international law.

And they warn that, out of consistency with their own values, The Union “can no longer remain on the sidelines” or “refrain from acting” against these violations.

In the final section, Spain, Slovenia and Ireland link the situation on the ground with the European legal framework.

They recall that a previous review of Israel’s compliance with Article 2 of the Association Agreement already concluded that the country was in breach of its human rights obligations, and underline that “the situation has only worsened since then.”

“Given the level of violence and the seriousness of the situation,” the three ministers call for “urgently revisiting the issue of the EU response, including the proposals presented by the President of the Commission.”

“Bold and immediate action is required and all options must remain on the table,” they add, before finishing with a warning: “The European Union cannot remain on the fence.”

The tone of the letter contrasts with that maintained by the Government in other dossiers.

Sources from the PP consulted by this newspaper regret that this speech on the defense of human rights “dares to be signed by Albares, Sánchez’s Foreign Minister, who has not mentioned them at any time during his recent visit to China.”

The popular ones accuse the Executive of practicing an “à la carte” foreign policy.

They denounce the firmness against Netanyahu while avoiding any public criticism of Beijing for the repression of its ethnic or religious minorities or the situation of dissidents.

The initiative of Spain, Slovenia and Ireland further deepens the diplomatic crisis between Moncloa and Jerusalem.

In recent weeks, Netanyahu has accused Sánchez’s government of leading a “diplomatic war” against Israel and encouraging delegitimization campaigns in the EU.

La Moncloa’s response has been to redouble the pressure in European forums.

Albares already promoted a review of the association agreement last year and is now trying to ensure that the debate explicitly includes the option of suspending it if a systematic violation of human rights commitments is found.

In this context, the letter to Kaja Kallas represents a qualitative leap.

It is not just about asking for more individual convictions or sanctions, but about touching the legal framework that regulates trade, cooperation and preferential political treatment of the EU with Israel.

Diplomats consulted admit that there is no consensus among the Twenty-Seven to break with Netanyahu now.

Above all, because of Germany’s firm position against such a movement, as is traditional.

Brussels is trying to maintain a balance between condemning military actions and preserving channels with Israel.

The letter, however, pushes the EU towards a binary decision: maintain the current partnership framework despite the complaints or assume that, with the bombs still fresh in Lebanon and Gaza, the status quo is no longer defensible.