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Belgium, Netherlands import bans
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation welcomed decisions by Belgium and the Netherlands to ban imports of products originating from Israeli settlements established in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.
“The Netherlands is set to ban imports of goods from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories”
In a statement, the OIC General Secretariat said the two decisions represented a "well-deserved legal and political achievement" and were consistent with international law, the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334.
The OIC General Secretariat renewed its call for all countries and the international community to follow the example set by the two decisions by adopting practical and legislative measures to prohibit economic, financial and service-related activities linked to the Israeli occupation authorities and their settlement enterprise in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The OIC framing tied the bans to the UNSC resolution’s affirmation that Israeli settlements are illegal and its call for the immediate and complete cessation of all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.
Parliament hails international law
The Arab Parliament described the Belgium and Netherlands ban on settlement products as a victory for international law, with its president Mohamed Elyamahi welcoming the decisions in a statement on Wednesday.
Elyamahi said the decisions were "a victory for international law" and a significant step in confronting the system of illegal colonization.
He argued the decisions fulfill states’ obligation not to recognize illegal situations arising from occupation, and he said Israeli settlements constitute a crime under international law and United Nations resolutions.
The Arab Parliament president called on countries around the world, particularly European Union member states, to follow the Belgian and Dutch example by adopting similar measures to ban settlement products and halt economic dealings with settlement activities.
Netherlands ban begins Sept 22
The Netherlands announced it will ban the import, purchase, and sale of products originating from Israeli settlements in the West Bank beginning on September 22, according to an announcement by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Products from Israeli settlements located in the occupied Palestinian territories will no longer be allowed to enter the Netherlands as of September 22, the Dutch government announced on Tuesday”
The Dutch government said the decision is based on its obligations under international law, arguing that it should not contribute to what it considers an illegal situation in the Palestinian territories.
i24NEWS said the Netherlands joins Ireland, Belgium, and Spain, which have also introduced trade restrictions targeting goods produced in Israeli settlements, and noted that the Netherlands accounts for approximately one-third of agricultural exports from Israeli settlements and nearly half of those exports destined for the European Union.
The Dutch measures also include a ban on Dutch companies providing brokering services that facilitate trade with illegal Israeli settlements, and the Dutch Council of State raised no objection while flagging doubts over enforceability in practice.
