Israel’s allies criticize Gaza’s plans pledging to review trade ties, says Washington Post
Israel is under pressure due to its war in Gaza. Its main allies, including the United Kingdom and EU member states, have either suspended free trade negotiations or promised to review trade relations, warning the Israeli government that it must halt its renewed military offensive and allow unrestricted aid flow into the enclave, The Washington Post writes.
The UK government said in a statement that it would follow the existing trade agreement with Israel, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “reckless policies” in Gaza and the West Bank have made “progress in negotiations” for a new agreement impossible. It also cited Israel’s 11-week blockade of Gaza, where over two million people are now at critical risk of starvation, along with a new ground operation that Israeli officials say will include the complete occupation of Gaza.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas announced that the 27-member bloc would begin an official review of its trade agreement with Israel.
Oren Marmorstein, Spokesperson for Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that Kallas’s remarks reflect a “complete misunderstanding of the complex reality Israel faces.”
“Ignoring these realities and criticising Israel only hardens Hamas’s position and encourages Hamas to stick to its guns,” Marmorstein wrote on X.
As The Washington Post writes, steps taken by London and Brussels indicate a shift in attitude among Israel’s longstanding supporters. Netanyahu is going to implement U.S.-backed plans to evacuate Gaza residents to enclaves in the south. Israeli soldiers and U.S. security contractors will oversee aid delivery through distribution centers and enforce strict food restrictions.
During a speech in Parliament, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy described the plans as “abhorrent,” “monstrous,” and “morally unjust.” He stated that Israel’s ambassador, Tzipi Hotovely, was summoned to the Foreign Office to be officially informed that the UK government considers the blockade “cruel and unfounded.”
On May 18, Netanyahu made a surprise announcement that, based on military advice, he had authorized the entry of “basic food supplies” into Gaza. The next day, he noted that this decision was made under pressure from Israel’s allies, including the United States.
Israeli authorities have informed aid agencies that from May 19 to May 23, they will be able to send 100 trucks into Gaza daily, totaling approximately 500 trucks, three humanitarian officials told The Washington Post.
They noted that much more extensive truck traffic is needed to address the acute hunger crisis in Gaza. Before the war, an average of 500 trucks entered the territory daily, or about 10,000 trucks per month, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
