EU foreign ministers fail to agree on suspending dialog with Israel

The European Union (EU) countries did not support the proposal to suspend dialog with Israel because of the events in the Gaza Strip. This was reported on November 18 by retiring head of the EU diplomatic service Josep Borrell.

It is specified, for the adoption of the proposal needs to be supported by 27 EU member states.

"A number of member states decided that it is better to continue diplomatic and political contacts with Israel, so the proposal was expectedly not accepted for consideration," - quotes Borrel "RIA Novosti".

Borrel suggested that EU countries suspend dialog with Israel on November 14. He said that he was seriously concerned about possible violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza, and also noted that, in his opinion, the Israeli side has not responded sufficiently to the situation.

Earlier, on November 11, the participants of the second Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh - the Arab League (LAS) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) - demanded that the UN Security Council (UNSC) establish a commission to investigate Israel's crimes in the Gaza Strip. At the same time, the LAS and the OIC demanded sanctions against Israel and accused the Israeli state of derailing peace talks on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. During the summit, it was decided to mobilize international support to suspend Israel's membership in the UN.

On the same day, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said at the opening of the Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh that the Gaza Strip should return to the control of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). He also suggested that the UN Security Council should suspend Israel's membership in the organization. He called for "stopping settler terrorism" against the Palestinian people and "imposing sanctions on Israel."

The situation in the Middle East escalated on the morning of October 7, 2023, when the Palestinian radical movement Hamas subjected Israel's territory to a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. Israel began retaliatory strikes the same day.

The Palestinians are trying to ensure that future borders between the two countries follow the lines that existed before the 1967 Six Day War, with possible land swaps.