Netherlands bans imports of Israeli settlement products

AMSTERDAM, July 22 (YPA) – The Dutch government announced a ban on imports of products from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, effective September 22.

In a statement, the Dutch Foreign Ministry said that the decision comes in compliance with international law and to avoid contributing to the continuation of the illegal situation, and the ban includes the import, purchase, and sale of products from illegal settlements.

With this move, the Netherlands joins several European countries, such as Ireland, Belgium, and Spain, that have imposed similar restrictions, amid growing calls within the European Union to unify restrictions on trade with settlements in the wake of the war on Gaza and settler attacks.

It should be noted that a report by Global Eco showed that the Netherlands accounts for about a third of the settlements’ agricultural exports and half of their exports to EU countries.