The EU foreign ministers' discussion on reducing trade with Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria was tense and fell short of the required majority, according to a Politico report cited by N12 journalist Asaf Rozentzweig. Only 11 out of 27 member states called for practical measures by the European Commission, far below the majority needed to force a formal proposal.
A Politico report cited by N12 journalist Asaf Rozentzweig on Monday evening revealed that only 11 of the 27 EU member states explicitly called for practical measures to restrict trade with Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria during a tense meeting of foreign ministers earlier Monday. The account, sourced to an EU diplomat, describes the session as 'tense and stormy,' with the 11 states falling short of the simple majority needed to compel the European Commission to submit a formal proposal. The figure stands in sharp contrast to the picture painted by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas earlier in the day.
Earlier Monday, at 18:47 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that Kallas had stated the settlement trade ban received the 'widest support' among foreign ministers and that the European Commission's legal service had determined the measure could be adopted without unanimous member-state consent. That followed a prior report at the same time that the Commission had presented options including a full or partial import ban, stricter export licensing, and tariffs. The thread also began with an initial report that the EU was considering additional measures, without specifying them.
As The Zioneer reported on Monday morning, there was already ambiguity over the voting threshold — whether a qualified majority of roughly 65% or unanimity was required — and no final decision was expected. The broader EU push against settlements has been building for months: The Zioneer reported in July that the Commission was considering a significant escalation in sanctions on settlement goods, and earlier in June, the UK advised businesses to avoid settlement activity while six nations imposed sanctions on those enabling settler violence.
What remains unclear is how the meeting's outcome will affect the legal pathway. Kallas had cited the legal service's opinion that unanimous consent was not needed, but the meeting did not produce even a simple majority for concrete steps. It is not yet known whether the matter will now be referred to EU ambassadors for further discussion, as Kallas had indicated earlier, or whether the lack of a majority has stalled the process.
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