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Ireland bans settlement goods
Egypt welcomed Ireland's approval and enactment of legislation banning the import of goods originating from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, after the completion of required constitutional and legislative procedures.
In a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry on Sunday, July 26, 2026, Egypt described the move as an important step reflecting adherence to international law and international legitimacy resolutions and confirming rejection of illegal Israeli settlement activities that violate the rights of the Palestinian people.
Egypt renewed its call on European Union member states and the wider international community to adopt similar legal and practical measures to ensure that no direct or indirect support is provided to illegal settlements or their continued expansion.
The Egyptian Gazette said Egypt welcomed Ireland’s enactment following the completion of the required constitutional and legislative procedures, describing the measure as underscoring rejection of illegal Israeli settlement activities that undermine prospects for achieving a just and lasting peace.
Qatar backs European bans
Qatar welcomed Dutch and Belgian bans on Israeli settlement products and called on more countries to prohibit trade with Israeli settlements after the Netherlands and Belgium approved measures banning settlement products.
A statement issued by the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, “The State of Qatar welcomes the bans by the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Kingdom of Belgium on Israeli settlement products,” describing the decisions as “a crucial step that supports efforts aimed at deterring the occupation’s settlement policies.”
The Media Line reported that Dutch restrictions are scheduled to take effect Sept. 22 and will prohibit the import, purchase and sale of settlement goods, while also barring brokering services connected to settlement trade and applying to Dutch companies operating outside the country.
Belgium enacted its own ban on July 18 as part of a broader package of measures targeting Israel, and the article said Ireland, Spain and Slovenia are no longer the only European countries to have adopted restrictions on trade involving Israeli settlements.
Negotiations and regional stakes
WAFA reported that Egypt welcomed Ireland's ban on imports from Israeli settlements and said the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs considered the step an important stance reflecting a commitment to international law and UN resolutions.
WAFA added that Egypt reiterated its unwavering support for the legitimate and inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, stressing that achieving security and stability in the Middle East requires ending the Israeli occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state within the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Separately, the Palestinian Information Center said Pope Leo XIV called for the resumption of negotiations for a just political solution in the Holy Land, with the item dated Monday, July 27, 2026.
The same Palestinian Information Center page also framed ongoing events in the Holy Land alongside the Pope’s call, including that the occupation arrests 12 citizens south of Jerusalem and that the Gulf Cooperation Council condemned the crime of settlers burning a mosque in the West Bank.
