Dutch lawmakers vote to ban imports from ‘illegal Israeli settlements,’ trade minister says

Illustrative: The East Jerusalem neighborhood of Neve Yaakov (foreground) and the Palestinian neighborhood of al-Ram (background) are seen separated by Israel's West Bank security barrier on February 16, 2026. (AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP)
Illustrative: The East Jerusalem neighborhood of Neve Yaakov (foreground) and the Palestinian neighborhood of al-Ram (background) are seen separated by Israel's West Bank security barrier on February 16, 2026. (AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP)

The Netherlands’ House of Representatives has voted in favor of a government-backed measure to ban importing and selling products from “illegal Israeli settlements,” Dutch Foreign Trade Minister Sjoerd Sjoerdsma announces on X.

“The cabinet is sending a strong signal to Israel — the Netherlands don’t want to contribute to maintaining” the settlements, Sjoerdsma says.

He calls on the rest of Europe to pass similar measures, noting that the International Court of Justice has ruled that Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal and that Israel has effectively annexed large parts of the territory.

Sjoerdsma links to a statement from the Dutch cabinet that indicates the ban would also apply to Israeli communities in the Golan Heights, which Israel annexed in 1981.

Most Popular
If you’d like to comment, join
The Times of Israel Community.
Join The Times of Israel Community
Commenting is available for paying members of The Times of Israel Community only. Please join our Community to comment and enjoy other Community benefits.
Please use the following structure: example@domain.com
Confirm Mail
Thank you! Now check your email
You are now a member of The Times of Israel Community! We sent you an email with a login link to . Once you're set up, you can start enjoying Community benefits and commenting.