July 31 (UPI) -- Sweden on Thursday joined other European countries in calling on the European Union to freeze its trade deal with Israel to force the country to allow humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Other countries -- Ireland, Spain, Slovenia, the Netherlands and Luxembourg -- have already spoken out on human rights violations in the region.
"Using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare constitutes a war crime," said Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard during a press briefing on Wednesday. "We now propose that the EU suspends the trade section of the agreement as soon as possible. We'll be very clear with the Commission on this matter."
The EU-Israel Association Agreement, which was updated on July 10, gives Israel preferential access to the EU market in exchange for commitments to human rights and humanitarian access. Stockholm says Israel has failed to uphold its commitments. Trade measures can be changed with a majority vote among all 27 EU member countries.
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