France calls on EU to ban trade with Israeli settlements

PARIS, Sept. 02 (YPA) – France on Wednesday called on the European Union to ban trade with Israeli occupation’s settlements.

In a statement, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Israeli settlements are illegal entities under international law, adding that the European Union cannot support illegal entities through trade with them.

The French call comes amid escalating settler attacks in the occupied West Bank and continued divisions among EU member states over imposing unified trade sanctions on settlements, despite several countries, including the Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium and Spain, taking unilateral steps in this direction.

The appeal also comes as some European governments have begun adopting national measures targeting trade linked to Israeli settlements.

The Netherlands recently announced that it would ban imports of products originating from Israeli settlements from September 22, joining other European countries, including Ireland, Belgium and Spain, that have imposed restrictions on settlement-related trade.

The Dutch move is particularly significant given the scale of its trade with settlements. Data cited by Agence France-Presse from the Global Eco organization indicate that the Netherlands accounts for about one-third of agricultural exports from the settlements and nearly half of total exports destined for EU countries.

The French call puts trade with Israeli settlements to a new test within the European Union, amid growing pressure for a unified economic position rather than reliance on fragmented national measures.