EU - Trade Ban on Israeli Settlements

Foreign ministers debated various tactics to respond to the settlements at their monthly council meeting in Brussels, against the backdrop of rising violence by settlers and efforts by the Israeli government to expand settlements in Palestinian territories.

No decisions have yet been made, and the path forward is uncertain. Some EU member nations favor aggressive action against the settlements, while others are unlikely to back any measures that take aim at Israel. A number are in the middle and have not decided whether they support trade bans.

The EU is Israel’s largest trading partner, accounting for 33.1% of its imports and 29.4% of its exports in 2025, according to a summary on the European Commission website, which did not provide data on settler goods. The free trade agreement does not apply to goods originating from Israeli businesses located over the pre-1967 lines.

-www.jta.org, 14 July 2026

Commentary: It seems strange that so many, in this case European leaders, seem to be ignorant of history. Before 14 May 1948, there were Arab Palestinians and Jewish Palestinians. The Arabs, including those of the surrounding Arab nations, totally rejected the idea of a Jewish Palestinian nation. But, in simple terms, they repeatedly lost the war against the Jews. Real international law going back over 6,000 years was governed by the slogan, “To the victor belong the spoils.”

That, incidentally, is how all nations were founded. Take, for instance, the American continent (North and South); some 35 sovereign nations were established on the basis of “victor takes all.”

One must ask, what does Europe or the rest of the world want? Misery and poverty? A Google search shows: “Israel and Jordan differ vastly, with Israel operating as a high-income technological powerhouse and Jordan functioning as a resource-constrained nation reliant on foreign aid. Despite a 1994 peace treaty and deep intelligence ties, their political dynamics and economic capacities show a stark contrast.”

The article then continues, “GDP Size: Israel possesses a large advanced economy with a GDP of over $600 billion, whereas Jordan’s economy remains much smaller at approximately $50-$60 billion. Income per Person: Israel’s GDP per capita exceeds $50,000, while Jordan’s hovers below “$5,000” Do European leaders insist on establishing a misery-laden and poverty-ridden state in the midst of Israel’s territory? Apparently so.

Has nothing been learned from the 2005 Gaza withdrawal, when Israel moved out its forces including well-established businesses, particularly in the agricultural sector? Gaza was independent and ready to build infrastructure. Hamas took over Gaza and caused continuous chaos.

But there is much more to this issue, and here we must consult Scripture: “In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates” (Genesis 15:18). That clearly documents that there is much Arab-occupied Israeli territory.

(See Israel Matters, Item #2328, $17.99.)