In February 2024, the European Commission’s president received an appeal from the governments of Ireland and Spain.

The joint letter referred to a preliminary International Court of Justice ruling from the previous month which deemed as plausible allegations made by South Africa that Israel had violated the Genocide Convention.

Ireland and Spain then sought an “urgent review” of whether Israel was upholding its obligations to respect human rights, as stipulated in the association agreement underpinning its relations with the European Union.

I recently submitted a freedom of information request asking for access to all briefing documents drawn up for von der Leyen on how the issues raised by Ireland and Spain should be addressed.

The European Commission has now confirmed that it has no records of any such material being compiled within the three months after the appeal by Ireland and Spain was made.

Only one conclusion can be drawn from that fact: Von der Leyen did not regard the call from Ireland and Spain as something which should prompt action on her part. She, therefore, neither asked her staff for advice about how to respond nor issued them any instructions.