Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Friday called on the European Union (EU) to suspend its Association Agreement with Israel, given its continued bombardment of Lebanon and actions in Gaza, reported Xinhua.
"We must not allow another Gaza in Lebanon," Sanchez was quoted by the Spanish news agency Agencia EFE as saying. Europe must act in the face of Israel's "flagrant violations of international humanitarian law," he noted.
The Association Agreement, which has been in force since 2000 to provide the legal basis for the EU's trade relationship with Israel, should be suspended "for the sake of consistency and also empathy," as Israel "tramples and violates" many of the articles of the agreement, Sanchez said, adding that "Spain is prepared to take this step along with many other European countries."
The Spanish leader also called for the creation of a European army "not in 10 years, not in two years, but now," in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to leave NATO.
Earlier in the day, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares also criticized the Israeli attacks in Lebanon, saying "the level of violence, the violation of international law and international human rights by Israel, is unacceptable."
Sanchez made his comments after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday accused Spain of waging a "diplomatic war" with Israel.
According to the World Health Organization and other humanitarian agencies on Thursday, Israel's attacks on Lebanon have killed more than 1,700 people and left nearly 6,000 injured. Over 1 million people, around a fifth of the country's population, have been displaced.
- Spain
- EU
- Association Agreement
- Israel
- Suspension
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
