More than 160 international civil society organizations have called on the European Union to ban trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
In a joint letter addressed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, organizations including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International urged the EU to comply with international law and end its support for Israeli settlers who have taken over Palestinian land.
The letter referenced a July 2024 ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which deemed Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories illegal. The organizations argued that the EU’s current policies violate its international obligations and called for an immediate halt to the import of goods produced in settlements accused of human rights violations.
Since October 7, 2023, Israeli military operations and settler attacks in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, have escalated, resulting in the deaths of 905 Palestinians, injuries to 7,000 others, and the arrest of 14,300 people, according to official Palestinian sources.
With U.S. backing, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza between October 7, 2023, and January 19, 2025, resulted in what Palestinian authorities have described as genocide, with more than 159,000 Palestinians killed or injured, the majority being women and children. Additionally, over 14,000 people remain missing.
A ceasefire agreement took effect on January 19, 2025, with an initial 42-day phase, during which negotiations are underway for a second and third phase, mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States.