Brussels, July 13 — Foreign ministers of EU member states will discuss imposing restrictions on imports of products manufactured in Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
According to diplomatic sources, no final decision is expected to be adopted at the meeting to be held in Brussels. The main purpose of the discussions is to determine the position of member states on any initiative and the possible level of support.
Currently, some EU countries, including Ireland, the Netherlands, and Spain, have implemented national-level restrictions on products from Israeli settlements located in the West Bank.
According to international law, these settlements are considered illegal. Israel, however, does not accept this position and states that it does not agree with international legal assessments related to the status of settlements.
According to reports, the European Commission has presented member states with several options this week for restricting trade in settlements. Among the proposals is a complete ban on imports of products manufactured in these areas to the EU.
However, there is no unified position within the EU on the issue. While some member states support Israel, others take a position closer to the Palestinian side. Germany and Italy have not yet clarified their final position on the matter.