The Israeli foreign ministry calls an EU review report of Article 2 of EU-Israel Association Agreement’s human rights clause ‘’absurd’’. ‘’It  reflects an unprecedented process directed at a democratic state in the midst of war.’’ ”This review is a complete moral and methodological failure,” it says as EU Foreign ministers are set to discuss the report and the Israel-Iran war on Monday in Brussels. 

The Israeli ministry recalls the ‘’strategic reality Israel is facing: since October 7th, Israel has been fighting a war on seven fronts. Iran, with its extremist ideology, is aiming to eliminate the State of Israel. Iran’s regime has long pursued the annihilation of the Jewish state through a nuclear program, ballistic missiles, and a network of terrorist proxies like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.’’

Spain and Ireland are calling for a suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement in light of the EU review report. But they are unlikely to be followed in this view by several other Foreign Ministers. Germany and Italy clearly stated that they oppose such a suspension and prefer dialogue with Israel.

Israel has rejected the European Union’s findings following a review of Article 2 of EU-Israel Association Agreement’s human rights clause. ‘’This review is a complete moral and methodological failure,’’ the Foreign Affairs Ministry said on Sunday in a document sent to the EU.

The EU-Israel Association Agreement review released by several media on Friday said that Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip ‘’indicate a breach of the human rights provisions contained in its Association Agreement with the European Union.’’

Citing a collection of findings by independent international organisations, the review by the EU’s External Service (EEAS), said it found “indications” that Israel breached its human rights obligations with actions in Gaza.’’

The review is set to be discussed on Monday during a meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Brussels.

The review process was launched in May at the request of 17member states, led by the Netherlands, to determine whether Israel was still complying with Article 2 of the Association Agreement, which states bilateral relations “shall be based on respect for human rights and democratic principles, which guides their internal and international policy and constitutes an essential element of this agreement”.

The report speaks about the ”blockade of humanitarian assistance, military strikes against hospitals, the forced displacement of the Palestinian population, mass arrests, arbitrary detentions, the expansion of settlements, which are illegal under international law, in the Occupied Territories, and the violence committed by settlers. The violations are described as numerous and serious.”

EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas is to present the review tot he 27 Foreign Ministers and will discuss with them what will bet he next steps, an EU foreign affairs spokesoperson said Froiday.

During the review process, the EU submitted a series of question. ‘’Following our detailed response to the questions submitted to us, we refer to the report in question. In this reaction, we briefly address a report that, to our astonishment, has disregarded our response,’’ the Israeli foreign ministry stated.

In its document, the ministry recalls the ‘’strategic reality Israel is facing: since October 7th, Israel has been fighting a war on seven fronts. Iran, with its extremist ideology, is aiming to eliminate the State of Israel. Iran’s regime has long pursued the annihilation of the Jewish state through a nuclear program, ballistic missiles, and a network of terrorist proxies like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.’’

‘’ This plan erupted violently on October 7th, when Hamas massacred 1,200 Israelis and kidnapped hundreds, marking the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust,’’ the ministry adds.

‘’ It is against this backdrop – Israel’s combat with a host of brutal enemies – that the EU was tasked with doing a ‘rush job’, compiling a biased and extremely one-sided summary of many anti-Israeli voices and documents into a so-called ‘honest report’ for the Member States of the EU.’’

The ministry mentions several failures in the review report :

‘’ Regretfully, a report that opens with an admission that it lacks the ability to verify its own statements, or even the mandate to address the numerous terror attacks by Palestinians against Israel, cannot be taken seriously. Israel is in the midst of an existential war. The events of October 7th and those that followed are part of an ongoing attempt by Iran and its proxies to bring about the annihilation of the Jewish state.’’

The ministry adds: ‘’This report has failed to take that context into account. It has likewise failed to refer to the thousands of rockets fired indiscriminately at Israeli civilians from the Gaza Strip – each one constituting a separate war crime. The report overlooked all these crucial facts, among many others, yet they remain critical to understanding Israel’s position and actions.’’

According to the ministry, the report ‘’fails twice.’’ ‘’It fails morally, neglecting to address any damage inflicted on Israeli civilians, who since before and after the October 7 attacks, have always been the only target of endless Palestinian terror attacks.’’

The ministry criticizes the report for which  ‘’civilians suffer only on the Palestinian side of the conflict.’’ ‘’The report completely overlooks Hamas’ control over the Gaza Strip and its radicalization of Palestinians. Its vast terror tunnels and infrastructure, as well as the proven complicity of UN bodies such as UNRWA.’’

‘’ It fails to mention Hamas’ stealing of humanitarian aid and most astonishingly – in a report focused only on Palestinians, it fails to mention any crimes by Hamas against its own citizens, despite continuous and abundant proof, including videos, of regular public executions of its opponents.’’

The report, the ministry says, ‘’aims to deny Israel’s right to defend itself against terrorism. It does not cite any of the many positive actions undertaken by Israel in the humanitarian field and neglects to mention the continuous refusal by Hamas of a U.S.-brokered hostage deal (the ‘Witkoff Proposal’) which Israel has agreed to.’’

‘’ The report also fails methodologically. It is based on UN reports that are anything but impartial, amplifying the lies and false statements of infamous Israel-haters such as Francesca Albanese, Navi Pillay, and others on the UN payroll – and does not make for a serious report nor present reality in any way, shape, or form.’’

In its conclusion, the Israeli foreign ministry calls the EU review report ‘’absurd’’. ‘’It  reflects an unprecedented process directed at a democratic state in the midst of war.’’

‘’The instrument chosen to target Israel – alleged “human rights violations” has never been applied in any other context. This is a biased and one-sided report that completely ignores the circumstances, as well as the substantive comments and responses provided by Israel.’’

The ministry stresses that ‘’the State of Israel is engaged in an existential struggle against a threat to its very existence. In this war, Israel contributes to stability in the Middle East and to the security of Europe, by defending against the shared enemies of Western civilization and Europe in particular.’’

It continues by saying that ‘this report and its conclusions should not be taken seriously or used as a basis for any future actions or conversations. Decency would dictate addressing the report’s shortcomings and dismissing it in its entirety.’’

Following the report, Spain, one of the most anti-Israel countries within the EU, called in the words of Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares, for a suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement and for an embargo of arms to Israel as well as sanctions ‘for those who spoil the two-state solution.”

Such a suspension, which requires unanimity amng the 27 member states, is very unlikely due to the opposition of several member states such as Germany, Italy, Hungary and the Czech Republic.

”While we think that the humanitarian situation in Gaza must be address, we are not for a suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement,” declared German Foreign Minister Johannes Wadenphul, as he arrived Monday morning at the Foreign Affairs Council. ”Israel is the democratic state in the region,” he stressed.

For his part, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot called for an ”immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages by Hamas, the entry without hindering of the humaniatarian aid into Gaza. The review report published by High Representative Kaja Kallas clearly establishes that Israel has violated Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement which deals with human rights. We will have a discussion on this report and we will draw conclusions at the next meeting of the EU Foreign Ministers in July.”

”While a large part of today’s discussion will be on Iran, we don’t have to forget Gaza, on te contrary” declared Caspar Veldkamp, Dutch Foreign Minister who initiated the EU review of the Association Agreement with Israel.  However, contrary to the Spanish Foreign Minister,  he declined to state which measures the EU could take following the report. ”We have to discuss it between ministers and come to a united position. ”What is important to  keep the attention on the situation in Gaza. Article 2 of the Association Agreement is not sanctioning for sanctioning but to improve the humanitarian situation on the ground,” he added.

Irish Foreign Minister Simon Harris agreed with his Spanish counterpart that the EU must suspend its Association Agreement with Israel but but he doubts that consensus can be found on this within the Foreign Affairs Council. ‘So we have to look at other measures,” he told journalists.

Italy, like Germany and Austria, is against a suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said. “Our position is different from that of Spain. It is important to keep dialogue and  relations open with Israel,” he added.

The presentation of the EU report comes as Israel is since June 13 in a war against Iran in order to dismantle the Iranian nuclear and ballistic missiles programs that threaten Israel. A topic that also high on the agenda of the Foreign Affairs Council on Monday. In the European Parliament earlier this week, EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, while calling for ”de-escalation and a diplomatic solution” to the conflict, stated that ”Israel has the right to defend itself.” ”Iran is still the main source of regional stability. It is one of the most repressive regime in the world.”