Claudio Francavilla
@claudiofrancavilla.bsky.social
1.9K followers 250 following 160 posts
Associate EU Director at @hrw.org Posts about #EU foreign policy on #HumanRights, mainly #MiddleEast, #Asia, #EUtrade, #UN #HRC Slowly transitioning here from an irredeemably ruined Twitter. Usual caveats
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claudiofrancavilla.bsky.social
6/6 Finally: what's been going on in Gaza is not something you put a stone on and forget about. Nor can Palestinians be asked to accept apartheid and occupation.

Those truly seeking peace must realize a return to Oct 6, 2023, is not a solution. And they must act accordingly.

@jnbarrot.bsky.social
claudiofrancavilla.bsky.social
5/6 On top of that, growing recognition of Palestine has yet to be accompanied by a EU-wide ban of settlement trade

Settlements ARE war crimes, the EU27 call them "an obstacle to peace", and trading with them is illegal. Then why does Europe keep doing it? www.hrw.org/news/2025/02...
NGOs, Trade Unions, Call on EU to Ban Trade with Israel’s Illegal Settlements
Over 160 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), trade unions, and civil society organizations, including Human Rights Watch, have called on the European Union to ban trade and business with Israeli set...
www.hrw.org
claudiofrancavilla.bsky.social
4/6 As to the EU, that means suspending the EU-Israel trade deal and sanctioning Israeli ministers

As @rmomtaz.bsky.social lays out, that is more - not less - necessary today than it was before: carnegieendowment.org/europe/strat...

Italy, and most of all Germany, are key @aussenminister.diplo.de
carnegieendowment.org
claudiofrancavilla.bsky.social
2/6 Decades of atrocities, unlawful occupation, apartheid, up to Israel's ongoing genocidal campaign have one common root: impunity

Those crimes will continue, unless governments with leverage finally use it and take concrete action, instead of repeating "two-state solution" as an empty slogan
claudiofrancavilla.bsky.social
🧵 #Gaza: several Foreign Ministers are gathering in Paris to discuss the peace plan.

If they want more than another fragile ceasefire, they must walk the talk, take concrete, overdue steps, focusing on what’s been ignored for too long: justice and Palestinians' rights. 1/6 ⤵️
claudiofrancavilla.bsky.social
Many of the amazing comedians who performed in Saudi Arabia often portray themselves as free speech champions, denounce "cancel culture"

Yet they didn't didn't say a word about those jailed in the country precisely for speaking up: www.hrw.org/news/2025/10...
Saudi Arabia: Comedians Silent on Detained Activists
Comedians performing at the Riyadh Comedy Festival did not use their public platform to urge Saudi authorities to free unjustly detained Saudi dissidents, journalists, and human rights activists
www.hrw.org
claudiofrancavilla.bsky.social
All #EU states are legally bound to do all they can to prevent a #genocide. On #Gaza, they have massively failed.

While meaningful, Von der Leyen's proposals are too little, too late - and unlikely to be approved, as many EU governments remain reluctant 👇
youtube.com/shorts/bpjuD...
2 years of Gaza genocide: EU’s complicity shattered its credibility, warn critics
YouTube video by Anadolu English
youtube.com
claudiofrancavilla.bsky.social
Thought Alaa Abd El-Fattah’s release meant #Egypt was easing its repression? Think again

Journalist Ismail Iskandarani - already jailed for 7 years - was detained again over Facebook posts: hrw.org/news/2025/10...

Meanwhile, @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu prepares to roll out the red carpet for Sisi
Egypt: Journalist Detained over Facebook Posts
Egyptian authorities detained prominent independent journalist Ismail Iskandarani over Facebook posts.
hrw.org
claudiofrancavilla.bsky.social
Historic step for justice in #Afghanistan: UN Rights Council creates new mechanism to advance prosecution for past & ongoing crimes: hrw.org/news/2025/10... #HRC60

Kudos to @euatun.bsky.social for principled leadership 👏🏽

And may this commitment to justice be applied consistently, everywhere 🤞🏽
euatun.bsky.social
The international community recognises the gravity of the human rights situation in Afghanistan, esp for women & girls. #HRC60 adopts a resolution by consensus to establish an independent investigative mechanism, taking a decisive step to strengthen accountability & end impunity.
claudiofrancavilla.bsky.social
7/7 I crimini israeliani dureranno finché durerà l’impunità.

Allentare la pressione per un fragile piano che ignora giustizia, diritti dei palestinesi, occupazione illegale e apartheid non ha alcun senso.

I cittadini europei lo hanno capito bene. I loro governi farebbero bene ad ascoltarli.
claudiofrancavilla.bsky.social
6/7 L’azione UE non dovrebbe essere legata solo a pause (già viste) o cessate il fuoco, ma alla giustizia e al pieno rispetto del diritto internazionale - e l'UE dovrebbe sostenere la CPI, Francesca Albanese, e le ONG palestinesi prese di mira proprio per questo: www.nytimes.com/2025/10/01/o...
Opinion | What Happened to Human Rights for Palestinians?
www.nytimes.com
claudiofrancavilla.bsky.social
5/7 Oltre alle proposte di von der Leyen, va fermato anche il commercio con le colonie israeliane, che sono crimini di guerra. La Corte ONU è stata chiarissima: hrw.org/it/news/2025...

Oltre che illegale, è assurdo che più Stati riconoscano la Palestina ma continuino a finanziarne la colonizzazione
ONG e sindacati chiedono all’UE di vietare commercio con gli insediamenti illegali di Israele
Oltre 160 organizzazioni non governative (ONG), sindacati, e organizzazioni della società civile, tra cui Human Rights Watch, hanno chiesto all'Unione europea di vietare il commercio e le attività eco...
hrw.org
claudiofrancavilla.bsky.social
4/7 Sulle sanzioni a Ben Gvir e Smotrich: le loro parole sono usate come prove di genocidio nei tribunali. Incitano tortura e stupro dei palestinesi, pulizia etnica, crimini di esercito e coloni – e continueranno a farlo, ostacolando ogni piano di pace

Non sanzionarli non può servire alcuna logica
claudiofrancavilla.bsky.social
3/7 Israele non può rispettare la clausola sui diritti umani E, al contempo, commettere apartheid e tortura sistematica.

Quei crimini gravissimi restano, insieme all’occupazione illegale sottostante, a prescindere da e in aggiunta agli atti genocidari in corso a Gaza.
claudiofrancavilla.bsky.social
2/7 A luglio, l’UE ha concluso che Israele viola l’art. 2 (clausola sui diritti umani) dell’Accordo di Associazione UE-Israele: euobserver.com/eu-and-the-w...

Le gravissime violazioni riscontrate non riguardano "solo" Gaza – e la conclusione non cambia anche escludendo i crimini in corso a Gaza
Full text of EU report on Israeli crimes in Gaza
Full text: The EU has corroborated UN allegations that Israel was guilty of "indiscriminate attacks ... starvation ... torture ... [and] apartheid" against Palestinians in a leaked "review".
euobserver.com
claudiofrancavilla.bsky.social
1/7 C'è il “piano di pace” di Trump, “la diplomazia funziona”, quindi no a sanzioni contro ministri israeliani e a sospensione accordo UE-Israele. Giusto?

Una scusa comoda per Germania, Italia, e gli altri governi UE da sempre opposti alle misure.

Ma insensata. Ecco perché ⤵️
claudiofrancavilla.bsky.social
7/7 Israel’s crimes thrive on impunity - and will continue as long as impunity persists.

Dropping pressure now would be foolish: this “peace plan” isn’t justice, doesn’t end occupation or apartheid, or care for Palestinians’ dignity & rights.

Europeans do. And their governments better listen.
claudiofrancavilla.bsky.social
6/7 EU action shouldn’t be linked just to pauses (been there) or cessation of hostilities in Gaza, but to securing justice and fully enforcing international law – and should support the ICC, Albanese, and Palestinian NGOs targeted for doing so: www.nytimes.com/2025/10/01/o...
Opinion | What Happened to Human Rights for Palestinians?
www.nytimes.com
claudiofrancavilla.bsky.social
5/7 Beyond von der Leyen’s proposals, EU trade with settlements must end. Settlements ARE war crimes the EU is trading with, despite an ICJ ruling making clear that's illegal.

And as more EU states recognise Palestine, why do they keep financing its colonisation? www.hrw.org/news/2025/02...
NGOs, Trade Unions, Call on EU to Ban Trade with Israel’s Illegal Settlements
Over 160 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), trade unions, and civil society organizations, including Human Rights Watch, have called on the European Union to ban trade and business with Israeli set...
www.hrw.org
claudiofrancavilla.bsky.social
4/7 As to Ben Gvir & Smotrich: their words are used as genocide evidence in courts. They defend torture and rape of Palestinians, incite ethnic cleansing, IDF and settlers crimes – and will keep doing so, while likely opposing any “peace plan.”

Ho exactly would it be "unwise" to sanction them?
claudiofrancavilla.bsky.social
3/7 One cannot comply with a human rights clause AND commit apartheid and systematic torture – let alone genocide.

Even if bombing pauses or aid trucks roll in, those heinous crimes stand, and the unlawful occupation underpinning them continues.
claudiofrancavilla.bsky.social
2/7 In July, the EU found Israel in breach of Art. 2 of the Association Agreement (the human rights clause): euobserver.com/eu-and-the-w...

That assessment was not only about Gaza – and even if Gaza were completely out of the picture, Israel remains in *massive* breach of the clause...
Full text of EU report on Israeli crimes in Gaza
Full text: The EU has corroborated UN allegations that Israel was guilty of "indiscriminate attacks ... starvation ... torture ... [and] apartheid" against Palestinians in a leaked "review".
euobserver.com
claudiofrancavilla.bsky.social
1/7 With Trump’s “peace plan” on the table, some EU states will seize it as an excuse to drop pressure on Israel: Germany, Italy & others will claim “diplomacy is working”, so no need to sanction ministers or suspend the EU-Israel trade deal.

That’s nonsense. Here’s why ⤵️🧵