Good news: Ireland wants to ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements

Ireland took a historic step this week, becoming the first EU country to ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements. Irish Foreign Minister Simon Harris on Tuesday introduced the Occupied Territories Bill, a law that would ban the import of products from settlements in occupied Palestinian territory.

11.11.11 and Broederlijk Delen call on the Belgian federal parliament to quickly work on the bill that prohibits trade with occupied territories. “It is currently gathering dust while the violence in the West Bank takes on unprecedented proportions.”

The law is groundbreaking in Europe and follows an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in July 2024, which clearly states that countries must refrain from economic relations that contribute to Israel's illegal settlement policy.

“Ireland today becomes the first country in Europe to introduce legislation to ban trade with the Occupied Palestinian Territories. We hope that it will inspire other countries to do the same, as it is important that every country uses all the tools at its disposal,” said the Irish Foreign Minister Simon Harris about it yourself.

Belgian proposal has been gathering dust for almost a year

In Belgium too, there is a bill on the table, submitted by cd&v and Vooruit. That goes even further than the Irish example: it prohibits trade in goods and services with occupied territories when there are serious violations of international humanitarian law.

Only: that proposal has been gathering dust since August 2024 in the federal parliament.

11.11.11 and Brotherly Sharing call on the government to finally act on this proposal. 

“As long as products from the illegal Israeli settlements continue to reach the Belgian market, we are contributing to the maintenance of the illegal settlement project. In doing so, we are violating our own international legal obligations,” says Rikkert Horemans, policy officer Israel-Palestine at Brotherly Sharing. 

“The Irish government has rightly judged that member states cannot continue to wait for the EU, but must do everything in their power to at least not contribute to the illegal colonies themselves.”

Finally draw a red line

At European level, there is little movement. Belgium and eight other member states did request an impact analysis of the ICJ advice from EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, but the chance that the divided EU will introduce a trade ban itself seems small.

That's why national action is so important. And the Belgian government has already committed itselfIn the recent resolution on Gaza of May 13, the governing parties stated that they would follow the recommendations of the International Court of Justice.

At a time when there are record numbers of new settlements, a “Gazafication” of the West Bank and a unprecedented wave of settler terror, call ​ Brotherly Sharing and 11.11.11 the federal government and parliament to finally draw a red line against Israeli war crimes and annexation of occupied Palestinian territory.

“On May 13, the government parties committed to finally halting all trade and investments with the Israeli occupation. It is high time to move on and translate those fine words into concrete actions. Now that Ireland has shown that a national ban is possible, Belgium cannot afford to lag behind. The federal government is faced with a clear choice: either you find settlements and occupation illegal and do not do business with them, or you continue to bury international law and commit culpable neglect,” concludes Willem Staes of 11.11.11.