France believes that the European Union should resume discussions on a possible suspension of the Association Agreement with Israel, in the context of escalating tensions in Lebanon and the West Bank, according to AFP. The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Israel’s military response in Lebanon has exceeded the proportions of legitimate defense, and the violence committed by settlers in the occupied Palestinian territories is exacerbating the situation.
The Association Agreement, in force since 2000, regulates political dialogue and trade exchanges between the EU and Israel, notes also Le Figaro, citing the same agency.
“Given the seriousness of yesterday’s events (Wednesday, in Lebanon) and also considering the situation in the West Bank, it cannot be ruled out that the discussion on suspending the association agreement between the European Union and Israel may be resumed, in addition to national sanctions,” declared Pascal Confavreux, the French Foreign Minister.
Israel’s actions, categorized as “unacceptable and disproportionate”
Any suspension requires the unanimity of the 27 member states.
“Israel, of course, has the right to defend itself, but its actions are not only unacceptable, but also disproportionate and effectively lead to a deadlock”, added the minister.
In 2025, the EU had already begun a reassessment of the document, at the request of several states, which accused Israel of not respecting the human rights stipulated in Article 2. A report from the European Commission subsequently confirmed the violation of these obligations.
Despite these conclusions, Germany opposed a global suspension of the agreement last year, blocking the adoption of a common decision. However, Paris believes that recent developments justify the relaunch of the discussion at the European level, including in parallel with possible national measures.