BRUSSELS: European Union (EU) foreign ministers agreed on Monday to call a meeting with Israel to get it to explain its actions in its Rafah offensive despite a UN court ruling, the bloc’s top diplomat said.
“We got the necessary unanimity to call for an association council with Israel to discuss the situation in Gaza,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said.
Borrell described the strike in Rafah as “horrifying” and emphasized that it highlighted the absence of safe spaces in Gaza. He urged Israel to cease its attacks on Rafah following a ruling from the UN’s International Court of Justice.
The meeting with Israel will be convened under the framework of the association agreement between Israel and the EU. Spain and Ireland have urged the EU to reassess the agreement in light of Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Last week, Ireland, Spain, and Norway announced plans to recognize a Palestinian state from May 28, signaling growing momentum for the establishment of a Palestinian state. However, this move underscored divisions within the EU, which has struggled to reach a unified stance on the Gaza conflict.
One practical step the EU is considering post-war is the potential monitoring of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt.
Borrell stated that ministers had given preliminary approval to plan for the mission, which could facilitate the movement of people in and out of Gaza in coordination with the Palestinian Authority.
“This could play a useful role in supporting the entry of people into Gaza, in and out, but this has to be done in accordance with the Palestinian Authority,” he said.
Since October 7 last year, Israel has launched a relentless bombardment campaign in Gaza killing at least 36,050 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the territory’s health ministry.
