Sweden calls on EU to suspend trade pact with Israel: PM

STOCKHOLM (AFP) : Sweden on Thursday called on the EU to suspend the trade part of its association agreement with Israel over its conduct of the war in Gaza.

“The situation in Gaza is absolutely appalling, and Israel is failing to fulfil its most basic obligations and agreements on emergency aid,” Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said in a post to X.

“Sweden therefore demands that the EU freeze the trade section of the association agreement as soon as possible,” Kristersson said, calling on the Israeli government to allow “unhindered humanitarian aid into Gaza.”

The EU’s association agreement with Israel is a framework for trade and political relations. The bloc is Israel’s largest trading partner, accounting for nearly a third of Israel’s global trade, according to EU data.

Kristersson’s statement comes two days after a similar stance was taken by the Netherlands.

Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said that the Netherlands would push to suspend the trade element of the EU-Israel Association Agreement if Israel fails to meet its humanitarian obligations.

The Israel-Hamas war in Gaza has deeply divided EU members.

Several member states, including Germany, insist on Israel’s right to defend itself within the bounds of international law, while others, such as Spain, denounce a “genocide” against Gaza’s Palestinians.

An EU report, presented to the 27 member states at the end of June, found that Israel may have fallen short of its human rights obligations under is EU cooperation agreement.