Brussels: European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced on Monday that a proposed ban on trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank garnered the most support among EU member states during a recent meeting of the bloc's foreign ministers. Kallas emphasized that all 27 EU member states recognize the settlements as illegal and highlighted the existing EU policy of distinguishing products originating from these areas.
According to Jordan News Agency, Kallas stated that the European Commission had introduced various options, such as a complete or partial ban on imports from the settlements or the introduction of tariffs on goods imported from those regions. The ongoing discussions reflect a growing demand within the EU for stricter measures against Israeli settlements, following the bloc's sanctions in May on entities and individuals accused of severe human rights violations against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
European diplomatic sources suggest that the rise in settler violence and the expansion of settlements under Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government have led to an increasing number of member states advocating for decisive economic actions. Some of these proposed measures draw from the advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice in July 2024, which deemed Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories and settlement activities in the occupied West Bank illegal.