Brussels, 28 August 2024 (dpa/MIA) - Amnesty International called on European Union countries not to supply Israel with arms in a letter to the bloc's top diplomat Josep Borrell seen by dpa on Wednesday.

The human rights group also urged the EU not to invest or trade with Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories, which were deemed illegal by a recent advisory opinion issued at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague.

Amnesty's push for a tougher EU policy comes ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels to discuss the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, which began with the Hamas massacre of Israeli civilians in southern Israel on October 7.

In July, the ICJ said that Israel's nearly 60-year occupation of Palestinian territories violates international law and must be ended as soon as possible.

The landmark opinion from the UN top court, although not legally binding, said Israel's settlement policy was effectively an illegal annexation.

The ICJ also said that members of the court, including EU countries, have a responsibility not to support the occupation policy or accept the status quo created by Israel.

Amnesty International said that EU countries, by "supplying arms, technology and equipment" to Israel, are not meeting this obligation in the letter to Borrell.

The rights group also called on the European Commission to review the EU's association agreement with Israel over compliance with human rights obligations.

Ireland and Spain, backed by Slovenia, previously called on the EU executive arm to review Israel's compliance with human rights obligations under the EU-Israel trade agreement.

MIA file photo