Over 150 organizations call on the European Commission to cease all economic activities with illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, citing international law obligations.
A coalition of more than 150 human rights organizations, trade unions, and civil society groups has appealed to the European Commission to implement a comprehensive ban on trade and business with Israeli settlements located in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs), including East Jerusalem. In a letter addressed to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the coalition emphasized that such a ban is crucial for the European Union (EU) and its member states to fulfill their obligations under international law.
The letter references a landmark advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on July 19, 2024, which affirmed that states must not recognize, aid, or assist the unlawful situation resulting from Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory. The ICJ clarified that all states are obligated to “abstain from entering into economic or trade dealings with Israel concerning the [OPT] or parts thereof which may entrench its unlawful presence in the territory” and to “take steps to prevent trade or investment relations that assist in the maintenance of the illegal situation created by Israel in the OPT.”
Currently, the EU distinguishes between goods produced within Israel’s recognized borders and those produced in settlements, denying preferential trade terms to the latter. However, the coalition argues that this policy is insufficient, as it still permits settlement-produced goods to enter the EU market, thereby contravening international humanitarian law and the obligations outlined by the ICJ. The letter asserts that by engaging in trade with these illegal settlements, the EU and its member states are not only breaching their legal obligations but also contributing to systemic human rights abuses associated with the settlement enterprise.
The coalition highlights that the EU has consistently condemned Israeli settlements as illegal under international law and as significant obstacles to achieving a two-state solution. Despite this stance, the EU continues to allow trade and business with these settlements, effectively sustaining the human rights violations linked to their maintenance and expansion.
In light of the ICJ’s advisory opinion and the EU’s own legal obligations, the coalition calls for immediate legislative action to ban trade with and investments in Israeli settlements. They also urge the Commission to issue a reinforced advisory document discouraging European businesses from engaging in activities that benefit these settlements.
The letter is endorsed by 163 non-governmental organizations, including prominent human rights groups such as Human Rights Watch, various trade unions, and diverse civil society segments across Europe.
This appeal underscores the growing pressure on the EU to align its trade policies with international legal standards and to take concrete steps to address the ongoing human rights concerns in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
