The European Commission has announced this Thursday that it will carry out an analysis of a European citizens' initiative that calls for the complete suspension of the Association Agreement between the European Union and Israel for "violations of Human Rights" attributed to the Hebrew State, after the proposal managed to surpass the threshold of more than 1.1 million signatures from citizens of the EU.
The initiative, entitled "Demand the total suspension of the Association Agreement between the EU and Israel over violations of Human Rights committed by Israel", was formally submitted this Thursday to the EU Executive by its backers, the organization Justice for Palestine, which calls on Brussels to put before the Twenty-Seven the "full" suspension of the framework governing political and commercial relations between the two parties.
Initially registered in November 2025 and open for the collection of support since January 13, the proposal has gathered 1,117,104 validated signatures and has exceeded the minimum thresholds required in 12 member states, which makes it the fifteenth European citizens' initiative that meets the conditions to be submitted to the Commission for scrutiny.
The organizers base their demand on the "unprecedented" nature of the number of civilians killed and injured in Gaza, the massive displacement of residents and the devastation of hospitals and health infrastructure, as well as the obstacles to the entry of humanitarian aid into the Strip.
In their view, Israel is violating its obligations under International Law, while the association agreement with the EU helps to "legitimize and finance" a State for which they hold responsible for the commission of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
According to the regulation governing the European Citizens' Initiative (ICE), when the Commission receives a valid proposal that surpasses one million certified declarations of support, it must open an examination procedure and provide a response within a maximum period of six months, without that implying that it is obliged to adopt the measures being demanded.
The Commission now has until May 12, 2027 to issue its official response, in which it will set out the actions it plans to take, if any, and the reasons for its decision. In addition, it will meet with the ICE promoters in the coming weeks, before the European Parliament holds a public hearing on the request.
The proposal for partial suspension remains stuck
In September 2025, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, proposed a partial suspension of the Association Agreement with Israel in response to the humanitarian situation in Gaza, an initiative that, more than a year later, continues to go nowhere due to the lack of consensus among the member states.
The partial suspension designed by the German conservative leader is limited to the commercial sphere and only requires a qualified majority of countries. However, if this initiative moves forward and the Community Executive proposes a total suspension to the member states, the scenario would be even more complex, since a complete break requires unanimity given that it would affect foreign policy, an area reserved for the capitals.
Apart from the debate over a partial or total suspension of the Association Agreement with Israel, the Twenty-Seven have also failed to reach an agreement on less drastic measures, such as restricting or vetoing trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank, despite the fact that the option of banning commercial exchanges with these enclaves is the one that has garnered the most support among the alternatives analyzed in recent months.
Among the formulas examined by the member states are the creation of an export licensing system, the application of punitive or very high tariffs, and the partial or total prohibition of imports from Israeli settlements, a last route advocated by countries such as Spain, Ireland, France and Sweden, but which meets resistance from Germany, Italy and the Czech Republic.