19.06.2025 20:31
Nine member countries of the European Union have requested the European Commission to develop proposals on how to end trade with illegal Israeli settlements located in the occupied West Bank.
The foreign ministers of Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden, all members of the European Union (EU), have written a joint letter.
CALL TO "END TRADE WITH ILLEGAL ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS IN THE WEST BANK"
In the letter addressed to EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, the EU Commission was invited to prepare a formula to stop trade with illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
EMPHASIS ON 'OCCUPATION'
The foreign ministers of EU countries emphasized in the letter, referring to the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice in July 2024, that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories and the settlements there are illegal.
REFERENCE TO COURT DECISION
Referring to the court decision stating that states should avoid trade and investment relations that contribute to the continuation of this occupation, the ministers stated, "We have not seen a proposal on how to effectively end trade in goods and services with illegal settlements." The letter stated, "Concrete measures need to be developed by the EU Commission to ensure compliance with the obligations set by the court at the EU level."
EU, ISRAEL'S LARGEST TRADE PARTNER
The EU is Israel's largest trading partner, and Israel conducts about one-third of its total trade with EU countries. Last year, the trade volume between the EU and Israel reached 42.6 billion euros. On the other hand, it is unknown how much of this is with Israeli settlements.