Ireland seeking review of EU-Israel agreement over rights concerns

Ireland is in talks with other EU members who want a review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement on the basis that Israel may be breaching the agreement's human rights clause.

Taoiseach Leo Varadakar confirmed the talks while attending an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday.

He added that a number of EU states are also talking about a possible joint recognition of a Palestinian state after the current conflict.

"EU-Israeli relations are founded on an agreement which has a human rights clause, and a lot of us believe that Israel may be in breach of it," Mr Varadkar told reporters.

"That's something we're talking about.

"There isn't full agreement, but it's something I called for today, and I called for last December."

Irish Ministers have repeatedly said the Government is considering recognising a Palestinian state.

Speaking at the end of the summit, Mr Varadkar said there were a lot of "very like-minded countries" around the EU table.

"Another thing we are talking about is recognition.

"That a number of EU states acting together to recognise Palestine could allow a more equal negotiation to happen after the war has ended in Gaza in and around a two-state solution," he said. -Reuters