{
  "id": 7760742,
  "title": "Ursula von der Leyen deplores EU's 'painful' inaction on Israeli settlements",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/ursula-von-der-leyen-deplores-eus-painful-inaction-on-israeli-7760742",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-16T09:36:29.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National Business",
    "slug": "the-national-business",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/europe/2026/09/16/ursula-von-der-leyen-deplores-eus-painful-inaction-on-israeli-settlements/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed her concern over the EU's inability to take action on the worsening conditions in Gaza and the occupied West Bank during her annual State of the Union speech at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. While she did not propose banning trade with illegal Israeli settlements, she deplored the Israeli government's advance of the illegal E1 settlement project. Despite support from a dozen EU nations, opposition remains strong from Germany, Hungary and Bulgaria. Last September, Spain became the first EU country to ban trade with Israeli settlements, following the International Court of Justice's advisory that Israeli occupation of land from the 1967 war is illegal. Canada, which recently joined the UK's initiative to ban trade with Israeli settlements, could become the first associate member of the EU, according to von der Leyen's proposal during her speech.",
  "summary": "European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday said she deplored inaction on the deteriorating situation in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. However, she stopped short of putting forward a proposal on banning trade with illegal Israeli settlements despite mounting pressure. “The deep suffering in Gaza and unchecked settler violence in the West Bank have deeply affected…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Techmeme",
        "title": "European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveils the EU Kids Act during her SOTU address, proposing a blanket ban on social media for kids under 13 (New York Times)",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/european-commission-president-ursula-von-der-leyen-unveils-the-eu",
        "published": "2026-09-16T09:05:01.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The National UAE",
        "title": "Ursula von der Leyen deplores EU's 'painful' inaction on Israeli settlements",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/ursula-von-der-leyen-deplores-eus-painful-inaction-on-israeli",
        "published": "2026-09-16T09:36:29.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Euronews",
        "title": "Debating Ursula von der Leyen's speech on The Ring",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/debating-ursula-von-der-leyens-speech-on-the-ring",
        "published": "2026-09-16T10:00:02.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "France 24",
        "title": "REPLAY - Ursula von der Leyen: Full State of the Union address",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/replay-ursula-von-der-leyen-full-state-of-the-union-address",
        "published": "2026-09-16T10:07:26.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}