European Union foreign ministers are meeting in Brussels to discuss imposing sanctions on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, as pressure mounts over escalating settler violence and continued expansion of illegal outposts.
A senior EU diplomat said the European Commission has drafted a paper outlining possible approaches, with options including an import licensing system, prohibitive tariffs, or a ban, according to Reuters. The meeting aims to gauge support for potential measures rather than reach a formal decision.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stated at the start of the meeting: “Everybody agrees that the situation in the West Bank is really intolerable. What is happening in the West Bank is actually making it more and more impossible that the two-state solution ever can come into effect.”
Speaking anonymously, a diplomat told Reuters: “I think what you will see on Monday is a discussion on the options, and we will get a bit of a picture of where everybody is.” Diplomats do not expect a formal decision but hope to assess whether there is enough support to move forward.
There is a lack of unity in Brussels over whether any penalty would require backing from all 27 member states or just a qualified majority. Some diplomats argue that banning trade with settlements would need at least 15 EU states representing 65% of the bloc’s population, while the Commission’s paper suggests a ban might require unanimous support—a high bar unlikely to be cleared.
Spain, Ireland, and Belgium have called for severe sanctions on Israel over its settlement policy, while Germany and Italy remain undecided. Kallas noted “a lot of asks and requests from the member states regarding the ban of the trade with illegal settlements” and said the meeting would test whether these options gain stronger push.
Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967, with over 500,000 settlers living among some three million Palestinians. In July 2024, the International Court of Justice ruled that Israel’s occupation and settlements are illegal, urging states to prevent trade or investment that sustains the situation. Ireland, the Netherlands, and Spain have already imposed their own trade restrictions on settlements.
Source: www.aljazeera.com