Brussels, (Unib Rashid) — More than one million citizens across the European Union have signed a petition calling for the termination of the bloc’s trade agreement with Israel under the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI).

The signature campaign was launched with the support of the Left Alliance in the European Parliament, alongside numerous international human rights organizations. The European Citizens’ Initiative is a democratic mechanism that allows EU citizens to request the European Commission to propose new legislation or amend existing policies within areas of EU competence.

To qualify, an initiative must gather at least one million signatures within one year from citizens in a minimum of seven EU member states. Based on this requirement, the campaign was initiated in October last year by the left-wing alliance, in collaboration with civil society groups and pro-Palestinian movements. Organizers aim to reach 1.5 million signatures before the deadline.

Following the collection phase, national authorities will have three months to verify the signatures. Once validated, the initiative can be formally submitted for consideration. Under EU law, both the European Commission and the European Parliament are required to review the proposal.

According to the campaign text, Israel is accused of responsibility for civilian casualties, mass displacement, and the destruction of hospitals and medical facilities in Gaza. The petition also cites alleged violations of international law and failure to comply with obligations related to the prevention of genocide, referencing orders by the International Court of Justice, as grounds for suspending the trade agreement.