Belgium slams EU response to Israeli settlement imports as a 'token gesture'
15:40, 13/07/2026, MondayU: Update: 15:40, 13/07/2026, Monday
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Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot has criticised the EU's proposed measures on imports from illegal Israeli settlements as insufficient, describing them as a "token gesture." He called for concrete proposals that could be swiftly adopted, arguing that the bloc should use trade rules to pressure Israel over its settlement policy.
Belgium has voiced strong criticism of the European Union's approach to addressing imports from illegal Israeli settlements, with Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot dismissing the bloc's latest proposals as inadequate. Speaking ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Prévot said the European Commission's recent two-page document of options appeared more as a "token gesture" than a genuine effort to take meaningful action.
Calls for Concrete Measures
Prévot stated that Belgium had been pushing for months for concrete steps regarding the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He called for proposals on which member states could take clear positions and vote, and which could be rapidly submitted to the Foreign Affairs Council. He argued that trade measures, which could be adopted through qualified majority voting, offer a viable path forward, unlike sanctions which require unanimity and have repeatedly stalled.
The Challenge of EU Unity on Israel
The Belgian minister also criticised the difficulty the EU faces in reaching a common position on Israel, pointing to political, historical, and economic factors that have hindered stronger action. "On other issues, everything seems possible," he said. "But when it comes to Israel, sanctions bring everything to a standstill." He expressed regret over the EU's hesitancy, noting that similar pressure tactics had proven effective in other conflicts.
The Context of Settlements and International Law
Prévot's remarks come against the backdrop of ongoing illegal Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. According to the organisation Peace Now, approximately 500,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank, with another 250,000 in occupied East Jerusalem. The International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion in July 2025 declaring Israel's occupation illegal and calling for the evacuation of all settlements. Despite the ICJ ruling and EU commitments to international law, the bloc has yet to impose direct measures targeting Israel.