The European Union calls for international accountability for violations in Palestine

The European Union expressed its deep concern on Thursday over the deteriorating situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, stressing the need for accountability for violations of international law and calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the unconditional release of all detainees.

In a statement delivered by the European Union mission during an interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, during the 59th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, the EU affirmed, as published on the official website of the European Union's Foreign Affairs Commission, its continued cooperation with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Working Group on Business and Human Rights to promote the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles in this area.

The European Union emphasized its commitment to respecting international law and implementing its legislation on products from settlements, in accordance with relevant bilateral technical arrangements. It emphasized that all agreements concluded with Israel must explicitly stipulate that they do not apply to the territories occupied by Israel in 1967, without this constituting a boycott of the Israeli state, which the European Union strongly opposes.

The EU also called for the removal of all restrictions on the delivery and distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza, in accordance with humanitarian principles and international humanitarian law. It reiterated its condemnation of the escalation of violence in the West Bank, due to settler violence, settlement expansion, the Israeli military operation, and the increase in attacks against Israel.

The statement concluded by reaffirming the EU's call on all parties to fully cooperate with the Human Rights Council mechanisms and respect their mandates.