Jewish organizations in the European Union (EU) on Sunday sharply criticized an initiative promoted by human rights groups and political parties calling on the EU to take action against Israel.
The initiative would have the EU force Israel give a report on its actions in Operation Protective Edge, by threatening to suspend the Association Agreement between the EU and Israel which is the central treaty between the two sides.
“This is cheap demagoguery,” the Jewish organizations said in a statement, adding “when numerous families with small children sat in shelters for over a month we didn’t hear a peep from those organizations. Where were they during those difficult days?”
Last weekend it was published that over 300 human rights organizations and political parties from 19 countries throughout Europe took part in the call on the EU to pressure Israel over its defensive operation that came in response to Hamas’s terror war.
The demand, which was signed by such notable parties as the Irish Trade Union Congress and national unions in Spain, France and Belgium, was sent to Federica Mogherini, the EU’s new foreign affairs chief. Mogherini was in Israel over the weekend, where she called to divide the Israeli capital of Jerusalem.
The Association Agreement is the principal framework for relations between Israel and the EU, and entitles Israel to preferred access to European markets as well as participation in EU projects beyond any other country that is not a member of the EU.
In the call against Israel, it was claimed the lack of such harsh steps “contribute to the atmosphere of being free of punishment and a lack of obligation to give an account. The European Union provides material support to breaches of international law by Israel, and it isn’t fulfilling its obligations under international law.”
Oddly those demanding EU action made no mention of Hamas’s repeated war crimes in the confrontation, including the wide-spread use of human shields and civilian infrastructure for terrorism.
Hamas was not required to make any “account” of its terror war before being pledged $5.4 billion to rebuild by world countries, including many European countries; all that despite the fact that Hamas is on the EU’s official list of terrorist organizations.
Regarding the European call for punitive action against Israel, several EU diplomats said last month they were looking at various ways to punish Israel over their “frustration” of not being able to foist their political agendas on the Jewish state.