European Commission negotiates secret police data deal with Israel

The European Commission is reportedly negotiating a secret agreement to share sensitive personal data with Israel’s police service. According to reports from Statewatch and Novara Media, the draft agreement, involving Europol, would facilitate the exchange of biometric data, genetic information, location data, political views, and other personal details.

Internal legal warnings have surfaced regarding the deal. A 2022 ruling by the Council of the EU’s Legal Service deemed the proposal legally untenable, warning that it could violate international law and undermine the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination. Critics express concern that the data could be integrated into military surveillance systems used in the West Bank and Gaza.

Legal experts, including Eitan Diamond, have warned that the transferred information could be used as intelligence to support military decisions, potentially leading to the arbitrary deprivation of freedom or ill-treatment of individuals in detention. While the draft text includes provisions to exclude data use in occupied territories, it contains broad exceptions for the prevention of crime and instances of ‘imminent danger to life’.