This treaty is the legal cornerstone of cooperation between the two parties. Its suspension would be a big deal for Israel: the EU is by far its main trading partner, and its universities rely on the Horizon Europe programme for research funding.

Early this year, a group of people launched a European Citizen Initiative (ECI) to demand its suspension:

https://citizens-initiative.europa.eu/initiatives/details/2025/000005_en

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An ECI is a "very official" form of petition, run by the European Union itself. If it is successful, the @EUCommission has a legal obligation to respond with an official act. Additionally, the European Parliament organizes a hearing centered on the petition, and might (but it is far from certain) also discuss it in plenary.

https://citizens-initiative.europa.eu/how-it-works_en

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There are two success conditions. First, petitions need to gather at least one million signatures within a year of starting collection. Second, in at least seven different member states certain minimum thresholds must be reached in the number of signatures collected nationally.

Most ECIs fail, but this particular petition is doing VERY well. It started collection in January; the second condition is already exceeded, with ten member states achieving over 100% of their thresholds.

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Let's acknowledge these countries: Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden. Well done!

The second condition is on track to be met and exceeded, too. As I write this, the petition stands at 712,525 – almost 3/4 of the way, with still 9 months to go. This could easily be the most successful ECI ever.

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So, for once clicktivism is not a travesty. It's easy, and it could have a big impact. At a minimum you are giving pro-human rights MEPs ammo to demand a public debate on why we are in business with Israel, and, more in general, what price "being in business" comes with, and for whom.

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Many of us, myself included, feel powerless in the face of geopolitical tides. As small as it is, this ECI, I feel, gives us a chance to weigh in and improve the very poor state of the public debate on these issues.

So, my recommendation to you is: sign it, if you are a EU citizen and you agree with it. Fight it if you disagree. Both will be better than just passively trusting the diplomats.

Also gives us something to do as we wait for the next doomsday deadline anyway. Hang in there!

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