A group of MEPs led by Annalisa Corrado (S&D) has asked the European Commission whether it will suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement in light of a new UN report documenting systematic torture and genocide risks against Palestinians. The written question, submitted on 8 April 2026, cites the latest report by UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, which describes Israel's use of torture as a 'widespread practice' across the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including waterboarding, beatings, electric shocks, and sexual violence.
The question, co-signed by ten other MEPs from S&D, Verts/ALE, and The Left groups, references prior UN findings: the UN Committee against Torture in 2025 flagged a 'de facto State policy of organised and widespread torture', and the UN Commission of Inquiry found that grounds for genocide under Article II(b) of the Genocide Convention are established. The MEPs also note the Israeli Knesset's approval of the death penalty for Palestinians accused of terrorism and ongoing military operations affecting civilians in Iran and Lebanon.
The MEPs ask two concrete questions: whether the Commission is aware of the report's findings and its assessment, and the state of play regarding a possible suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement under Article 2, which makes respect for human rights an essential element. The Commission typically must reply within six weeks; its answer will signal whether the EU is willing to escalate pressure on Israel over human rights violations.