EU Foreign Minister Kaja Kallas said the bloc is advancing measures to restrict trade with Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria, according to a report by Abu Ali Express. Kallas stated that the European Commission has presented options including a full or partial ban on imports, stricter export licensing requirements, and tariffs. She described the settlements as 'illegal under international law' and said the measures target the settlements, not Israel.
The European Union is advancing new measures to restrict trade with Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria, EU Foreign Minister Kaja Kallas said on Monday, according to a report by Abu Ali Express. Kallas stated that the European Commission has presented a range of options in response to a request from the European Council in June, including a full or partial ban on imports of settlement goods, stricter export licensing requirements, and the imposition of tariffs.
Kallas noted that the EU's current 'differentiation policy' requiring labeling of settlement products has had limited impact due to inconsistent enforcement. She stressed that the measures are directed at the settlements, which she described as 'illegal under international law,' and not at Israel as a whole.
The development is the latest in a series of EU moves against settlements. The Zioneer has previously reported on Ireland's passage of a settlement goods ban, on EU statements condemning settlement expansion, and on diplomatic tensions between Jerusalem and Brussels over the issue. The EU's 27 member states are reportedly united in their view that settlements are illegal, but the specific measures require further decision-making.
The new options, if adopted, would represent a significant escalation in EU pressure on settlement-related trade, potentially affecting thousands of products exported from the region.
4 developments
- DevelopingAmbiguity Over Voting Threshold for EU Ban on Settlement Imports; No Decision Today
- DevelopingEU considers significant escalation in sanctions on settlement goods
- DevelopingEU foreign policy chief says no majority for sanctions on Israeli minister Ben Gvir
- DevelopingUK advises businesses to avoid activity in settlements; six nations impose sanctions on settler violence enablers
Source and signal
- Internal intake