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Belgian member of the European Parliament Marc Botenga said the announcement by 12 countries that they would restrict trade linked to illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories has increased pressure on the European Union Commission to take concrete action.
Botenga provided written comments to Anadolu Agency after 12 countries, including the United Kingdom and France, announced measures targeting trade with illegal Israeli settlements.
“Trade with illegal settlements is itself illegal,” the Belgian lawmaker said.
“This trade should have been banned decades ago,” Botenga added.
He referred to the July 19, 2024, advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which said states must avoid trade and economic relations that could maintain the unlawful situation in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Botenga said the statement by the 12 countries was a step in the right direction.
“Of course, these words now need to be turned into action, but thanks to the growing movement of solidarity with Palestine across Europe and even around the world, the balance of power is clearly changing,” he said.
Botenga said the announcements had increased pressure on the EU Commission.
He criticized Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, saying she had promised months ago to present options at the European level to address the issue.
“Ursula von der Leyen promised months ago to present options at the European level to address this problem. Yet she has still not done so,” Botenga said.
“We will also need to increase pressure on governments that still refuse to comply with the most basic principles of international law,” he added.
The foreign ministers of Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom announced in a joint written statement that they would restrict trade linked to illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The statement said Israel’s actions in the West Bank undermine the two-state solution and warned that the situation is worsening every day.
It also drew attention to violence by Israeli settlers and stressed that the two-state solution must be preserved.
Israel announced that in response to the trade measures, it had decided to close the U.K.’s consulate to Palestine in occupied East Jerusalem.
While the EU has not yet imposed a general import ban on products from illegal Israeli settlements, it excludes these products from trade privileges under the EU-Israel Association Agreement and continues to assess more comprehensive trade measures.
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