Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International called on the European Union on Tuesday to ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, urging European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to act on measures she proposed a year ago.
In a joint statement ahead of von der Leyen’s annual State of the EU address, the groups said “almost none” of the measures she proposed last year had been adopted.
They urged von der Leyen to revive her proposal to suspend the trade component of the EU-Israel Association Agreement and impose sanctions on Israeli officials and settlers, while also proposing an EU-wide ban on trade with Israeli settlements.
The groups said the EU was “lagging behind” as an increasing number of member states and allies moved to restrict trade with the settlements.
