A total of 114 members of the European Parliament called on Ursula von der Leyen in a letter to prepare a legislative proposal that would enable the EU to ban trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The letter was sent before von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, delivered her annual “State of the Union” address. Members of the 720-seat European Parliament argued that EU countries should pursue a common and consistent policy on the issue.
Call for a common EU-wide step
The lawmakers said France had pledged to take a similar step, while some EU countries had adopted or were preparing national-level trade bans. The letter said the EU should act together with its allies that support the implementation of international law.
The letter also cited as an urgent reason the Israeli government’s publication on August 18 of a tender notice for a settlement project in the E1 area. The lawmakers argued that the move violated one of the red lines the EU had long set out.
The letter said limited measures, such as raising customs duties or strengthening the existing differentiation policy, would not meet the obligations arising from international law.
International Court of Justice obligations
Members of the European Parliament also pointed to the obligations set out by the International Court of Justice on the issue. They said partial steps would allow the EU’s problems with compliance with international law to persist.
The letter also said that more than 100 legal scholars, along with numerous human rights organizations and trade unions, had expressed a similar legal assessment. The lawmakers said the EU needed to act to preserve its international credibility and that a legislative proposal would be a positive step.
The EU does not yet impose a general import ban on products from Israeli settlements. These products do not benefit from the trade preferences provided under the EU-Israel Association Agreement.
A unanimous vote by member states is not required for an EU-level trade ban; adoption by a qualified majority in the Council is sufficient.
Previously announced joint decision
France, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden, as well as Norway, Iceland, Canada and the United Kingdom, announced on September 8 that they would ban trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories under a joint decision.
