The European Union has legal grounds to suspend its trade agreement with Israel over serious violations of international law, according to a leaked internal document that could increase pressure on the bloc to take action against Tel Aviv.
The "strictly confidential" document, prepared by the European Commission's legal service in 2017, concluded that a "total or partial suspension" of the EU-Israel Association Agreement would be consistent with customary international law.
The disclosure comes as EU member states debate taking a tougher stance toward Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government amid ongoing war crimes and other violations of international law in Gaza, the West Bank, and southern Lebanon.
Spain and Ireland have led calls to suspend the association agreement, which grants Israel preferential trade access to the EU market and is viewed as a potential source of leverage over Israeli policy.
Germany, one of Israel's closest allies in Europe, has so far opposed suspending the agreement. Berlin has questioned the legal basis for such a move and argued that maintaining diplomatic engagement offers a better chance of influencing Israeli policy than punitive measures.
