European Union foreign ministers are set to examine whether there is sufficient support for new measures targeting trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank during a meeting on Monday, according to diplomats and officials. The discussion follows growing calls from some member states for stronger action in response to developments in the territory.
According to a senior EU diplomat and a European official, ministers will consider a confidential paper prepared by the European Commission outlining three possible approaches. The document presents an import licensing system, prohibitive tariffs and a complete ban on trade with Israeli settlements as potential policy options.
The meeting comes as the European Union continues to face longstanding divisions over its Middle East policy. The bloc has historically struggled to reach major decisions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict because of differing positions among its 27 member states.
Diplomats and officials said pressure from several member governments has increased in recent months following reports of rising violence involving Israeli settlers and dissatisfaction with the policies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, which has expanded settlements in the West Bank.
In May, the European Union imposed sanctions on four entities and three individuals over what it described as serious and systematic human rights abuses against Palestinians in the West Bank. The latest discussions are taking place against the backdrop of those measures and wider debate over the bloc’s approach to the settlements.
The issue has also been influenced by a July 2024 advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice, which stated that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories and settlements in the West Bank are illegal. The court said states should take steps to prevent trade or investment relationships that contribute to maintaining the situation.
Israel has rejected that position. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar last year described efforts by some European governments to implement the advisory opinion as “shameful.” Israel maintains that the West Bank is disputed territory and says a Jewish presence there has existed for thousands of years. The United Nations and most countries, however, regard the settlements as illegal under international law.
A diplomat familiar with the confidential discussions said Monday’s meeting is expected to focus on reviewing the available options and assessing the positions of member states. Speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the deliberations, the diplomat said the discussion would provide a clearer picture of where governments stand on the issue.
Diplomats said they do not expect foreign ministers to reach a formal decision on any of the proposed measures during Monday’s meeting. They also noted that uncertainty remains over the legal threshold required for any future action.
Some diplomats believe a ban on trade with Israeli settlements could be approved through a qualified majority, requiring the support of at least 15 member states representing 65 percent of the European Union’s population. However, the European Commission’s confidential paper suggests a complete ban could require unanimous approval by all member states, a requirement diplomats said would make such a measure significantly more difficult to adopt.
European Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho confirmed that the Commission had circulated the paper among member countries but declined to comment on its contents.
