Netherlands imposes ban on goods from illegal Israeli settlements
In the media image: Tara Clark on Unsplash
A new Dutch import and trade ban on products from Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories is set to take effect on 22 September 2026. Professor of International Law Larissa van den Herik discussed the legal implications in two media outlets.
The organisation Christians for Israel, which imports and sells products from these territories, argues that the ban is being applied selectively. It claims there are other disputed or occupied territories for which comparable measures do not apply.
According to Van den Herik, the criticism that international law is being applied selectively in this case does not hold. In her view, the fact that legal rules may also be violated elsewhere does not mean that no action can be taken in this particular situation. ‘That would be like a murderer saying, “I can’t be prosecuted because other murderers are walking around free,”’ she says. She also points to the 2024 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, where the Court found that Israel is committing serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories. ‘All States have an obligation to end such violations. The import ban gives effect to that obligation.’
Christians for Israel also invokes the Oslo Accords, which set out arrangements for governance in the Palestinian territories. According to Van den Herik, however, these accords do not grant Israel the right to annex Palestinian territory or to maintain a permanent presence there. As the occupying power, Israel has obligations under international law towards the Palestinian population, including a duty to manage natural resources responsibly. The International Court of Justice has pointed, among other things, to concerns regarding the management of natural resources, such as water. Van den Herik adds that the import ban is not directed at Israelis as such, but rather seeks to address serious violations of international law, as well as violence and extremism.
More information?
Read the full articles on the news sites of VMRG and NOS (in Dutch).