Ireland urges EU to review Israel trade deal over Gaza genocide

Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and Defence Affairs, Simon Harris, yesterday called on the European Union to review the EU partnership agreement with Israel over human rights violations in Gaza.

Posting on X, Harris pointed to the agreement’s human rights clause, which requires EU-Israel relations to be grounded in respect for international law.

“The EU-Israel Association Agreement has clauses on human rights. It says relations shall be based on respect for human rights. These words must have meaning. There must be a review of the agreement. The world is not doing nearly enough,” he wrote.

I intend to pursue this with European colleagues. We are duty bound to do everything possible to bring about a cessation of violence, a major surge of humanitarian aid and the immediate release of all hostages.

— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) May 11, 2025

The Irish deputy prime minister said he intends to discuss this issue with his European counterparts, explaining that the EU has a responsibility to do everything possible to stop the violence, increase humanitarian aid, and immediately release all prisoners.

Israel has been committing genocide in the Gaza Strip since 7 October 2023, killing and wounding more than 172,000 Palestinians, most of them children and women, in addition to more than 14,000 missing persons.