Petition to suspend EU-Israel Association Agreement reaches 1M signatures

A European Citizens' Initiative calling for the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement has surpassed one million signatures, organizers announced on Tuesday, making it the fastest initiative to reach the threshold since the mechanism was introduced.

Launched in Jan. 2026, under the title "Justice for Palestine," the campaign has also exceeded the required national signature thresholds in 10 EU member states, surpassing the minimum of seven countries needed for validation.

The initiative, led by the European Left Alliance and supported by civil society groups and Palestinian-led movements across the bloc, urges the European Union to suspend its association agreement with Israel, citing alleged violations of international law and human rights.

"One million people have spoken: the EU must fully suspend its Association Agreement with Israel – the EU must stand for international law and stop its complicity with Israel’s genocide," the organizers said in a statement, calling on supporters to continue mobilizing toward a new target of 1.5 million signatures.

Under rules, a European Citizens' Initiative must gather at least 1 million valid signatures and meet minimum thresholds in at least seven EU member states to be considered by the European Commission.

Once the conditions are met, the EU Commission is required to examine the proposal and decide whether to take action, though it is not legally obliged to introduce legislation.

"The gap between European citizens’ demands and the EU leadership’s policy on Palestine keeps growing – the EU must act," the statement said, noting that the EU remains Israel's largest trading partner, with total trade in goods reaching €42.6 billion (about $50.2 billion) in 2024.

Catarina Martins, co-chair of the European Left Alliance, criticized the EU's continued economic ties with Israel, arguing that maintaining the agreement undermines the bloc's commitment to human rights.

The EU-Israel Association Agreement, which entered into force in 2000, includes a human rights clause stating that relations between the parties are based on respect for human rights and democratic principles.