KUALA LUMPUR: The European Union is seeking ways to put pressure on Israel to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza, its top diplomat said, as member states weighed action against Israel over what they see as potential human rights violations.
The EU’s diplomatic service on Thursday presented 10 options for political action against Israel after saying it found “indications” last month that Israel breached human rights obligations under a pact governing its ties with the bloc.
In a document prepared for EU member countries and seen by Reuters, the options included major steps such as suspending the EU-Israel Association Agreement — which includes trade relations — and lesser steps such as suspending technical projects.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Friday the options were prepared in response to member states that wanted stronger pressure on Israel to rectify the suffering of civilians in Gaza’s now 21-month-old war.
“Our aim is not to punish Israel in any way,” she said after meeting with Asian foreign ministers in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, amid growing global jitters arising from US President Donald Trump’s tariff offensive.
“Our aim is to really improve the situation on the ground (in Gaza), because the humanitarian situation is untenable.”
EU members have voiced concern over the large number of civilian casualties and mass displacement of Gaza’s inhabitants during Israel’s war against Hamas militants in the enclave, and alarm about restrictions on access for humanitarian aid.
Kallas said on Thursday Israel had agreed to expand humanitarian access to Gaza, including increasing the number of aid trucks, crossing points and routes to distribution hubs.
She also said negotiations with the US on a trade deal to avoid high tariffs threatened by Trump were ongoing, and stressed that the EU did not want to retaliate with counter-levies on US imports.
Trump has said the EU could receive a letter on tariff rates by Friday, throwing into question the progress of talks between Washington and the bloc on a potential trade deal.
“We have of course possibilities to react, but we don’t want to retaliate. We don’t want a trade war, actually,” Kallas said.
EU pressing Israel to improve Gaza humanitarian situation, top diplomat says
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EU pressing Israel to improve Gaza humanitarian situation, top diplomat says
- EU’s diplomatic service presented 10 options for political action against Israel after it found “indications” Israel breached human rights obligations under pact
- Foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas says the options were prepared in response to member states that want stronger pressure on Israel to rectify suffering of civilians in Gaza
Iraq election result ratified by Supreme Federal Court
- The Independent High Electoral Commission submitted the final results of the legislative elections to the Supreme Federal Court on Monday for official certification after resolving 853 complaints submitted regarding the election results
BAGHDAD: The result of last month’s parliamentary elections in Iraq was ratified by the Supreme Federal Court on Sunday, confirming that the party of caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani won the largest number of seats — but not enough to assure him a second term.
The court confirmed that the voting process met all constitutional and legal requirements and contained no irregularities that would affect its validity.
The Independent High Electoral Commission submitted the final results of the legislative elections to the Supreme Federal Court on Monday for official certification after resolving 853 complaints submitted regarding the election results.
FASTFACT
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani’s Reconstruction and Development Coalition won 46 seats in the 329-seat parliament.
Al-Sudani’s Reconstruction and Development Coalition won 46 seats in the 329-seat parliament.
However, in past elections in Iraq, the bloc that won the most seats has often been unable to impose its preferred candidate.
The coalition led by former Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki won 29 seats, the Sadiqoun Bloc, which is led by the leader of the Asaib Ahl Al-Haq militia, Qais Al-Khazali, won 28 seats, and the Kurdistan Democratic Party, led by Masoud Barzani, one of the two main Kurdish parties in the country, won 27 seats.
The Taqaddum (Progress) party of ousted former Parliament Speaker Mohammed Al-Halbousi also won 27 seats, setting the stage for a contest over the speaker’s role.
Overall, Shiite alliances and lists secured 187 seats, Sunni groups 77 seats, Kurdish groups 56 seats, and nine seats reserved for minority groups.
Al-Sudani came to power in 2022 with the backing of the Coordination Framework, a coalition of Iran-backed Shiite parties, but it is unclear whether the alliance will support him again.
With no single bloc able to form a government alone, political leaders have launched negotiations to build a ruling coalition.
