05/06/2024 (Agence Europe) – On Wednesday 5 June, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, announced on X that he had sent an invitation to the Israeli Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, to attend an ad hoc EU-Israel Association Council. On 27 May, the heads of European diplomacy agreed to hold such a Council (see EUROPE 13417/1). Mr Borrell had explained that the Association Council would provide an opportunity to “discuss the situation in Gaza, respect for the human rights that Israel must assume under the Association Agreement and the way in which it plans to comply with the decision of the International Court of Justice”. Later in the week, a European official acknowledged that holding such a meeting would be difficult, as Israel would have to accept the invitation and the EU Member States would have to agree on a common position to defend at the meeting. (CG)