Amnesty International Urges EU to Halt Arms Supply to Israel

Amnesty International has called on the European Union to cease supplying arms to Israel.

In a letter addressed to the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, the human rights organization urged the EU to take a firmer stance against Israel's actions, as reported by the German news agency DPA on Wednesday.

Amnesty International also pressed the EU to stop investing in or trading with Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, which the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague recently deemed illegal in an advisory opinion.

This appeal comes ahead of an EU Foreign Ministers' meeting in Brussels, where the ongoing conflict in Gaza will be a key topic of discussion.

In July, the ICJ stated that Israel's nearly 60-year occupation of Palestinian territories violates international law and should end as soon as possible.

The court's advisory opinion, although not legally binding, described Israel’s settlement policy as effectively an illegal annexation.

The ICJ further emphasized that its members, including EU states, bear the responsibility of not supporting Israel's occupation policies or accepting the current status quo.

Amnesty International's letter to Borrell highlighted that by supplying Israel with arms, technology, and equipment, EU countries are failing to meet this responsibility.

The organization also urged the European Commission to review the EU-Israel Association Agreement to ensure its alignment with human rights obligations.

Previously, Ireland and Spain, with backing from Slovenia, had called on the European Commission to assess Israel's compliance with human rights commitments under the trade agreement between the EU and Israel.