EU frustration at impasse on Israeli settler trade ban
European Union leaders on Tuesday expressed frustration at the bloc's failure to address rising violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. They described efforts to collectively ban all trade with Israeli settlements in the territory as having hit a brick wall. Questioned by reporters about the case of Saeed Al Amour, an elderly Palestinian olive farmer who had…
EU leaders expressed frustration on Tuesday over their inability to halt trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank, amid rising violence by settlers against Palestinians. Kaja Kallas, the EU foreign affairs chief, described such incidents as "extremely disturbing" and said her bloc has sent condemnation messages but called for more robust action.
While some EU nations favor a blanket ban on trade with settlements, there is no concrete proposal from the European Commission, and not all member states are in agreement. Germany, Hungary, and the Czech Republic have stated they would block such a ban. The EU supports a two-state solution, and the International Court of Justice in 2024 urged countries to stop fueling the Israeli occupation and refrain from ending trade with settlements, which are deemed illegal under international law.
Violence against Palestinians in the West Bank has increased since the start of the Gaza war in 2023. Ireland, the current EU presidency holder, has passed national legislation to implement a ban, while Spain did so last year, and the Netherlands is set to do the same this month. Israel has retaliated by expelling two Dutch officials from a Gaza support center in Israel.
Despite months of demands, the European Commission only presented an options paper in July, three months before their next formal meeting. The commission has cited a lack of qualified majority support for a full proposal. Many EU nations, including Italy, remain undecided and require a more substantial proposal before clarifying their stance.
The commission has stated it will not provide a full proposal due to insufficient backing. In July, Israel severed contact with Kallas after she reportedly used the term "apartheid" to describe the situation in the West Bank. Negotiating a resolution before Israeli elections in late October appears unlikely. Ireland's Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister, Helen McEntee, described the situation as an "impasse," emphasizing the need for the EU to uphold international law and respond effectively.
French Trade Minister Nicolas Forissier argued that a ban would not significantly impact trade, as the trade volume between the EU and Israeli settlements is negligible.
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