EU Ministers Weigh Options to Restrict Trade With Israeli Settlements

BRUSSELS- European Union foreign ministers were set to discuss on Monday whether there is sufficient political backing to curb trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, as growing concern among some member states over settlement expansion and settler violence puts renewed pressure on the bloc to consider additional measures.

The ministers’ deliberations are based on a confidential European Commission paper outlining three possible approaches: introducing an import licensing system, imposing prohibitive tariffs or implementing a ban on trade involving goods from Israeli settlements, according to diplomats and EU officials familiar with the document.

No formal decision is expected during Monday’s meeting, diplomats said, describing the discussion as an opportunity to gauge the positions of the bloc’s 27 member states before any further steps are considered.

The European Union has historically struggled to reach a common position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict because of longstanding differences among member countries, making consensus on Middle East policy particularly difficult.

However, diplomatic pressure to respond to developments in the occupied West Bank has intensified in recent months amid increasing violence involving Israeli settlers and growing dissatisfaction among some European governments with the policies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration, which has continued expanding settlements.

In May, the European Union imposed sanctions on four entities and three individuals over what it described as serious and systematic human rights abuses against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

The debate also follows an advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice in July 2024, which concluded that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories and the establishment of settlements in the West Bank are unlawful under international law. The court said states should take steps to prevent trade and investment relationships that contribute to maintaining the situation.

Israel rejects that interpretation, maintaining that the West Bank is disputed territory rather than occupied land and arguing that the Jewish people have maintained a historical presence there for thousands of years.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar previously described efforts by some European governments to implement the advisory opinion as “shameful.”

A senior EU diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the confidential nature of the discussions, said Monday’s meeting would primarily assess the level of support for the various options rather than seek agreement on a specific policy.

Diplomats also remain divided over the legal procedure required for any future restrictions. Some argue that measures such as a trade ban could be adopted through a qualified majority vote, requiring the support of at least 15 member states representing 65 percent of the EU’s population.

However, the European Commission’s internal paper reportedly suggests that a comprehensive trade ban could require unanimous approval by all member states, a significantly higher threshold that diplomats say would make such a measure difficult to achieve.

European Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho confirmed that the Commission had circulated a discussion paper among member states but declined to comment on its contents ahead of the ministers’ meeting.