A conference scheduled by outgoing European Union (EU) Foreign Minister Josep Borrell in which he planned to pass resolutions condemning Israel's war in Gaza, will be held only after the senior official who is seen as particularly critical of the government, leaves office.
Borrell hoped to enlist support from Spain, Ireland and Belgium in a gathering of the EU-Israel Association Council –the steering committee for EU-Israel relations, to be attended by Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz.
2 View gallery
Josep Borrell, Israel Katz
(Photo: AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias, Attila KISBENEDEK / AFP)
Diplomatic efforts including Katz's appeal to his Hungarian counterpart and the support of foreign ministers from Germany, Greece, the Czech Republic, Austria, resulted in the event being postponed until after newly elected EU officials step into office after July 1, in the wake of the elections to the European parliament.
There must be unanimous consensus of all 27 member states in the steering committee on the agenda. Sources in the EU said negotiations would begin to agree on the subjects raised for discussion. They were expected to last through October, when Borrell will be replaced by Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas.
Kallas is considered to be more supportive of Israel, by the Foreign Ministry, although she has said that there must be a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict and has spoken extensively about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. She expressed extreme criticism of the October 7 massacre and said Israel had the right to defend itself.