MEPs Call to Suspend EU-Israel Association Agreement Following Violent Abductions of the Global Sumud Flotilla Volunteers on the Mediterranean Sea [multilingual pdf]

May 21, 2026 European Union Parliament — Yesterday, while 428 Global Sumud Flotilla volunteers remained detained after their illegal kidnapping, 37 Members of the EU Parliament circulated and co-signed the following letter. While the flotilla volunteers were just released, the demand for accountability remains the same: 

On 18 May 2026, Israeli naval forces violently abducted the humanitarian workers of the Global Sumud Flotilla in the international waters of the Mediterranean Sea. 

Their abduction constitutes yet another flagrant violation of the rights and principles enshrined in EU law. A previous interception of this same flotilla on 29 April produced documented testimony of systematic torture, severe physical abuse and sexual violence against detained participants. 

The EU–Israel Association Agreement contains binding human rights obligations. Those obligations are being openly and repeatedly violated. Continued inaction by European institutions renders the EU complicit in this pattern of impunity. 

We therefore demand:

- Immediate suspension of the EU–Israel Association Agreement pending compliance with its human rights provisions; Immediate and unconditional release of all detained flotilla participants;

- An independent international inquiry into the full scope of EU member state complicity in the abduction, detention, and documented physical and sexual violence inflicted upon flotilla participants by Israeli forces. Europe cannot continue to look away. Each failure to act is a signal to Israel that there is no cost to lawlessness. That signal must end now.

Signatures:

MEP BARRENA Pernando (TheLeft)

MEP ANDERSSON Li (TheLeft)

MEP BRICMONT Saskia (Greens/EFA)

MEP MIRANDA Ana (Greens/EFA)

MEP RUOTOLO Sandro (S&D)

MEP RIBA Diana (Greens/EFA)MEP AUBRY Manon (TheLeft)

MEP GALÁN Estrella (TheLeft)

MEP DELLA VALLE Danilo (TheLeft)

MEP BENIFEI Brando (S&D)

MEP SCUDERI Benedetta (Greens/EFA)

MEP MARTINS Catarina (TheLeft)

MEP CLAUSEN Per (TheLeft)

MEP CAREME Damien (TheLeft)

MEP MONTERO Irene (TheLeft)

MEP SERRA Isa (TheLeft)

MEP GEDIN Hanna (TheLeft)

MEP TAMBURRANO Dario (TheLeft)

MEP Ó RÍORDÁIN Aodhán (S&D)

MEP HASSAN Rima (TheLeft)

MEP ANTOCI Giuseppe (TheLeft)

MEP ARVANITIS Konstantinos (TheLeft)

MEP DEMIREL Özlem (TheLeft)

MEP LUCANO Mimmo (TheLeft)

MEP CAMARA Mélissa (Greens/EFA)

MEP CHAIBI Leïla (TheLeft)

MEP SMITH Anthony (TheLeft)

MEP SALIS Ilaria (TheLeft)

MEP STRADA Cecilia (S&D)

MEP MARZÀ Vicent (Greens/EFA)

MEP NEMEC Matjaž (S&D)

MEP OHISALO Maria (Greens/EFA)

MEP SØVNDAL Villy (Greens/EFA)

MEP CORRADO Annalisa (S&D)

MEP BOYLAN Lynn (TheLeft)

MEP FUNCHION Kathleen (TheLeft)

MEP KENNES Rudi (TheLeft)

MEDIA CONTACT

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 1414 620 950

Website: globalsumudflotilla.org

Social: @globalsumudflotilla @wavesofsumud

Follow our announcements on telegram.