The European Parliament has passed new legislation making it easier to suspend visa-free travel for nationals of third countries found to violate human rights or ignore international court rulings.
The reform aims to strengthen the current visa suspension mechanism, which covers 61 countries whose citizens can enter the Schengen Area visa-free for up to 90 days within any 180-day period. Under the revised rules, the European Commission will have broader powers to reintroduce visa requirements for countries that pose security risks or fail to comply with key international obligations.
For the first time, breaches of the UN Charter, international human rights or humanitarian law, and non-compliance with international court rulings can trigger the reinstatement of visa requirements. The updated mechanism also addresses hybrid threats, including the misuse of migrants and so-called “golden passport” investor schemes, which may raise security concerns.
The law further allows the EU to impose targeted visa restrictions on government officials deemed responsible for serious violations, including human rights abuses.
Currently, according to Annex II of the EU Visa Regulation, Israel is among the countries whose citizens enjoy visa-free travel.
However, the situation in Gaza has escalated dramatically. Since October 2023, Israeli military operations have killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children. The bombardment has left the enclave virtually uninhabitable, with widespread starvation and disease.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Norway for talks about the Russia-Ukraine war. He is expected to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who arrived in Oslo earlier. Witkoff will also meet European officials.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said regional issues should be resolved through diplomacy and blamed the United States for insecurity and tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, speaking at a joint news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday.
Yemen's Houthis have denied targeting the holy city of Medina on Wednesday adding that they have not conducted any military operations towards Saudi Arabia either, denying earlier comments from the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen.
U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff is meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg, with discussions focused on the war in Ukraine and the prospects for progress in ongoing diplomatic efforts.
French authorities imposed local curfews in parts of Paris, Lille and Nice on Monday after a weekend of riots and looting linked to nationwide anti-government protests, as the government faced mounting criticism over security failures.
U.S. federal prosecutors have charged six people over an alleged scheme that arranged hundreds of fraudulent marriages in Massachusetts to help immigrants living in the country illegally obtain green cards and, potentially, citizenship.
Türkiye, Qatar, Pakistan and Indonesia have signed a new defence industry agreement in Doha, bringing existing military projects under a shared framework as Turkish defence exports reach record highs.
British PM Andy Burnham has rejected calls to reconsider the UK’s ban on Palestine Action, insisting that the decision was based on evidence and had undergone parliamentary scrutiny. He said on Wednesday that he would not comment further while legal proceedings remain ongoing.
Russia has released Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired American teacher from Michigan held for more than four years after being detained by Russian forces in eastern Ukraine.
U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff is meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg, with discussions focused on the war in Ukraine and the prospects for progress in ongoing diplomatic efforts.
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