Netherlands to sanction trade with illegal Israeli settlements
Netherlands to sanction trade with illegal Israeli settlements Dutch ban on Israeli goods from occupied territory comes as efforts to implement EU-wide...
Key points
- Netherlands to sanction trade with illegal Israeli settlements Dutch ban on Israeli goods from occupied territory comes as efforts to implement EU-wide sanctions remain stalled.
- The Netherlands is set to ban imports of goods from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
- It will see the Netherlands ban the “import, purchase, and sale of goods originating from unlawful Israeli settlements in the Palestinian Territories” from September 22.
- With the move, the Netherlands will join a small but fast-growing group of European countries acting unilaterally on an issue that is focused mainly on illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.
What happened
Netherlands to sanction trade with illegal Israeli settlements Dutch ban on Israeli goods from occupied territory comes as efforts to implement EU-wide sanctions remain stalled. The Netherlands is set to ban imports of goods from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. It will see the Netherlands ban the “import, purchase, and sale of goods originating from unlawful Israeli settlements in the Palestinian Territories” from September 22. With the move, the Netherlands will join a small but fast-growing group of European countries acting unilaterally on an issue that is focused mainly on illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank. Under the measure, it will also be illegal for Dutch companies to provide brokering services that facilitate trade with illegal Israeli settlements. The Dutch government has acknowledged that Israel’s settlements in the West Bank are unlawful under international law and has said the ban reflects its obligation not to contribute to that situation.