EU Urged To Ban All Business With Israel's Illegal Settlements

LONDON, Feb 4 (Bernama-AA) -- More than 150 human rights organisations, trade unions, and civil society groups have called on the European Commission to ban trade with Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs), Anadolu Agency (AA) reported.

In a letter sent on Tuesday to Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, the groups stated that banning trade with illegal settlers is “essential” for the EU and its member states to comply with their obligations under international law.

Referring to last year's International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory opinion on Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory, they stressed that all states have “the obligation ... 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.”

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“The EU’s current policy of distinguishing between goods produced in Israel and those produced in settlements falls short of these obligations,” the letter stated.

It noted that this differentiation still allows such goods to enter the EU market, which “contravenes obligations under international humanitarian law.”

They stated that by trading with illegal Israeli settlements, the EU is not only breaching its own legal obligations but also contributing to serious and systemic human rights violations and other breaches of international law.

“Despite EU consensus on the settlements’ illegality and their link to serious abuses, the EU continues to trade with and allow business dealings with them, helping to sustain the grave human rights and international law violations that are inextricably linked to the maintenance and expansion of settlements.”

Highlighting the “urgent need for compliance with international law,” the letter called on the Commission to immediately introduce legislation banning trade with and investments in settlements and to issue a reinforced advisory document discouraging European businesses from engaging in activities that benefit Israeli settlements.

A total of 163 NGOs, including human rights groups such as Human Rights Watch, trade unions, and various segments of civil society across Europe, signed the letter.

-- BERNAMA-AA