HRW: EU must ban trade with Israeli settlements

Human Rights Watch (HRW) said banning EU trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories is a legal obligation, not a political choice.
The group said the European Commission is considering options to restrict such trade ahead of an EU foreign ministers’ meeting on July 13, noting that more than 50 organizations have called for a full ban.

HRW stressed that settlements are illegal under international law and that transferring Israeli civilians there constitutes a war crime.

It cited the International Court of Justice’s 2024 opinion, which says states must avoid trade or investment that sustains illegal conditions in the occupied territories.

The organization said partial measures like tariffs are insufficient and urged the EU to impose a comprehensive ban on settlement trade