Kaja Kallas, EU’s foreign affairs chief,  noted that she did not see a shifting of positions in the room regarding the suspension of the agreement.

While everyone was focusing on Hungary to see what would be the position of the new leadership in Budapest on a proposal by some EU member states to sanction Israel, it’s finally Germany and Italy, two heavyweights in the EU, who blocked a fresh push by the most anti-Israeli eu countries to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement.

Spain, Ireland and Slovenia, with the suppoirt of Belgium, put the issue of sanctions against Israel back on the table at a Foreign Affairs Council (the monthly gathering of the 27 EU Foreign Ministers) on Tuesday in Luxembourg. These countries cited the recent approval by the Knesset, Isael’s parliament, of the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of terrorism, as well as Israel’s actions in Gaza, Lebanoin and the West bank (Judea and Samaria in Israel’s terminology). The prposed suspension needed unanimity among member states to be adopted.

‘’Some Member States today proposed a full or partial suspension of the EU Association Agreement, as well as for restrictions on trade coming from settlements. And others were expressing their opposition to such proposals,’’ EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told journalists at a press conference following the ministerial gathering.

‘’Given that the suspension of the Association Agreement needs unanimity, there was no support for this needed in the room. The measures that we have already on the table that require qualified majority will require states shifting their position. We did not see that today, but these discussions will continue,’’ she added.

A similar effort last year to sanction two Israeli ministers and partially suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement agreement was blocked by the same countries, Germany and Italy along with Hungary.

Now that Hungary has a new more pro-EU Prime Minister, Péter Magyar, who defeated Viktora Orban in parliament elections last week, it is expected that Budapest will change its stance regarding Israel. But this is not yet evident as the new Prime Minister has not yet formed his government and clearly stated his orientations. On Tuesday, Hungary was only represented at the Foreign Affairs Council by his permanent representative in Brusselswho has not the power of the to be nominated foreign minister who will replace Péter Szijjártó, who is considered a a strong supporter of Israel.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul expressed his opposition to sanctions against Israel and to the  suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, describing the call by Spain, Ireland and Slovenia  ‘’inappropriate. Instead, he advocated a  constructive dialogue with Israel on all critical issues.

«We have to talk with Israel about the critical issues,» he said.

His Italian counterpart, Antonio Tajani, mentioned that “no decision will be taken today. Other possible initiatives will be discussed at the next ministerial meeting on May 11. We will evaluate them,” he added. While expressing his opposition to a full suspension of the EU-Israel Association Council, he said he would rather sanction ‘’individuals’’ like ‘’violent settlers’’ in the West Bank or adopt measures regarding trade.

Kaja Kallas noted during her press conference that she did not see a shifting of positions in the room regarding the suspension of the agreement. ‘’There were new proposals on the table regarding the trade, so I promised to take this back to the European Commissioner for Trade. Because in order to discuss that, if you look at the legal provisions, then we need a European Commission proposal on the table,’’ she said.

The EU-Israel Association Agreement, which entered into force in 2000, governs trade and political relations between the two parties.

The agreement,  which grants Israel preferential access to the EU market, includes in its Article 2 a human rights clause making respect for democratic principles an essential part of the deal.  This article has been used by those calling for sanctions against Jerusalem.