Latest news with #PalestinianTerritories
Arab News
12 hours ago
- Business
- Arab News
EU countries seek ban on trade with illegal zones of Israel
BRUSSELS: Nine European Union countries have called on the European Commission to come up with proposals on how to discontinue EU trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, according to a letter seen by Reuters on Thursday. The letter, addressed to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, was signed by foreign ministers from Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. The EU is Israel's biggest trading partner, accounting about a third of its total goods trade. Two-way goods trade between the bloc and Israel stood at 42.6 billion euros ($48.91 billion) last year, though it was unclear how much of that trade involved settlements. The ministers pointed to a July 2024 advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice, which said Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories and settlements there are illegal. It said states should take steps to prevent trade or investment relations that help maintain the situation. 'We have not seen a proposal to initiate discussions on how to effectively discontinue trade of goods and services with the illegal settlements,' the ministers wrote. 'We need the European Commission to develop proposals for concrete measures to ensure compliance by the Union with the obligations identified by the Court,' they added. Israel's diplomatic mission to the EU did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said Europe must ensure trade policy is in line with international law. 'Trade cannot be disconnected from our legal and moral responsibilities,' the minister said in a statement to Reuters. 'This is about ensuring that EU policies do not contribute, directly or indirectly, to the perpetuation of an illegal situation,' he said. The ministers' letter comes ahead of a meeting in Brussels on June 23 where EU foreign ministers are set to discuss the bloc's relationship with Israel. Ministers are expected to receive an assessment on whether Israel is complying with a human rights clause in a pact governing its political and economic ties with Europe, after the bloc decided to review Israel's adherence to the agreement due to the situation in Gaza.
Asharq Al-Awsat
16 hours ago
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
9 EU Countries Call for Talks on Ending Trade with Israeli Settlements
Nine European Union countries have called on the European Commission to come up with proposals on how to discontinue EU trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, according to a letter seen by Reuters on Thursday. The letter, addressed to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, was signed by foreign ministers from Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. The EU is Israel's biggest trading partner, accounting about a third of its total goods trade. Two-way goods trade between the bloc and Israel stood at 42.6 billion euros ($48.91 billion) last year, though it was unclear how much of that trade involved settlements. The ministers pointed to a July 2024 advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice, which said Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories and settlements there are illegal. It said states should take steps to prevent trade or investment relations that help maintain the situation. "We have not seen a proposal to initiate discussions on how to effectively discontinue trade of goods and services with the illegal settlements," the ministers wrote. "We need the European Commission to develop proposals for concrete measures to ensure compliance by the Union with the obligations identified by the Court," they added. Israel's diplomatic mission to the EU did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said Europe must ensure trade policy is in line with international law. "Trade cannot be disconnected from our legal and moral responsibilities," the minister said in a statement to Reuters. "This is about ensuring that EU policies do not contribute, directly or indirectly, to the perpetuation of an illegal situation," he said. The ministers' letter comes ahead of a meeting in Brussels on June 23 where EU foreign ministers are set to discuss the bloc's relationship with Israel. Ministers are expected to receive an assessment on whether Israel is complying with a human rights clause in a pact governing its political and economic ties with Europe, after the bloc decided to review Israel's adherence to the agreement due to the situation in Gaza.
Reuters
18 hours ago
- Business
- Reuters
Nine EU countries call for talks on ending trade with Israeli settlements
BRUSSELS, June 19 (Reuters) - Nine European Union countries have called on the European Commission to come up with proposals on how to discontinue EU trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, according to a letter seen by Reuters on Thursday. The letter, addressed to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, was signed by foreign ministers from Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. The EU is Israel's biggest trading partner, accounting about a third of its total goods trade. Two-way goods trade between the bloc and Israel stood at 42.6 billion euros ($48.91 billion) last year, though it was unclear how much of that trade involved settlements. The ministers pointed to a July 2024 advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice, which said Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories and settlements there are illegal. It said states should take steps to prevent trade or investment relations that help maintain the situation. "We have not seen a proposal to initiate discussions on how to effectively discontinue trade of goods and services with the illegal settlements," the ministers wrote. "We need the European Commission to develop proposals for concrete measures to ensure compliance by the Union with the obligations identified by the Court," they added. Israel's diplomatic mission to the EU did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said Europe must ensure trade policy is in line with international law. "Trade cannot be disconnected from our legal and moral responsibilities," the minister said in a statement to Reuters. "This is about ensuring that EU policies do not contribute, directly or indirectly, to the perpetuation of an illegal situation," he said. The ministers' letter comes ahead of a meeting in Brussels on June 23 where EU foreign ministers are set to discuss the bloc's relationship with Israel. Ministers are expected to receive an assessment on whether Israel is complying with a human rights clause in a pact governing its political and economic ties with Europe, after the bloc decided to review Israel's adherence to the agreement due to the situation in Gaza. ($1 = 0.8710 euros)
Irish Times
a day ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Draft occupied territories Bill not expected to cover banning trade in services, says Frances Black
Independent Senator Frances Black has said she expects draft Government legislation banning trade with illegally occupied Palestinian territories will not cover trade in services. The Government has indicated it will publish draft legislation before the end of this month, but has indicated its legal advice is against extending this to trade in services and instead focusing on trade in goods. Ms Black, who first published legislation seeking to curtail trade with the territories in 2018, also said she hopes to be called before the Committee on Foreign Affairs, where she will make the case for the legislation to cover services. Tánaiste Simon Harris, who will bring the legislation to Cabinet next week, has indicated an openness to considering amendments on trade in services if they are brought forward during the legislative process. READ MORE Mr Harris indicated earlier this week that the general scheme – an outline of the legislation – will go to Cabinet next week, which Taoiseach Micheál Martin reiterated at a meeting of his parliamentary party on Wednesday evening. On Tuesday, the Tánaiste said the Bill 'just needs a little bit of final work from a legal point of view' before going to Cabinet next week. Once that is published, it will be sent to the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs committee for pre-legislative scrutiny, a process which is expected to take around two to three weeks to complete. 'I don't think there'll be services in the general scheme, and that's where the debate will be in the Foreign Affairs committee, that's my expectation, that it won't be in,' Ms Black told The Irish Times on Wednesday. She said that her hope was that legal experts whose view is that the inclusion of services is legal will be asked before the committee to give evidence. [ Government wants to pass Bill banning trade with occupied Palestinian territories 'this summer' Opens in new window ] The inclusion of services could potentially mean tech and finance companies which conduct business in the occupied territories. Earlier this week, five separate international legal challenges were launched against Airbnb, the short-term lettings platform, which pro-Palestinian and human rights activists say is currently managing more than 300 holiday lettings in the West Bank. Elsewhere, Mr Harris told his parliamentary party meeting that the escalation in hostilities between Israel and Iran cannot distract from the situation in Gaza, where he said children are starving and humanitarian aid is not getting through. Mr Harris also told his TDs and Senators that the return of AIB to full private ownership is a 'milestone moment' and contrasted it with 2011 'when the entire banking sector was destroyed and the IMF were in town following reckless economic mismanagement'. Mr Martin told the Fianna Fáil meeting that the Government would consider proposals next week arising from the Dublin City Taskforce report, which would include funding for key initiatives including a special-purpose vehicle to partner with site owners to 'transform' the O'Connell Street area. He also welcomed the expansion of the rent pressure zones (RPZs) agreed by Cabinet last week and the granting of additional powers to the Land Development Agency, which got Government approval this week.
Arab News
2 days ago
- Business
- Arab News
Iran-Israel war fears spark fuel shortages in West Bank
'Fearing potential supply disruptions or further escalation, citizens across the West Bank have begun stockpiling fuel,' said Abu Al-RobIn the northern West Bank city of Nablus, dozens of drivers waited in line for fuelRAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories: Fears over the war between Israel and Iran have led to fuel shortages in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Authority told AFP Wednesday, as drivers queued in long lines to buy fuel.'Fearing potential supply disruptions or further escalation, citizens across the West Bank have begun stockpiling fuel, putting additional pressure on an already strained market,' said Mohammad Abu Al-Rob, director of the PA's communications decades of enmity and a prolonged shadow war, Israel on Friday launched a massive bombing campaign that prompted Iran to respond with missiles and PA official said there has also been 'a noticeable decline in the number of fuel tankers arriving from Israel, some of which have been redirected for use by the Israeli occupation army.'In the northern West Bank city of Nablus, dozens of drivers waited in line for Ayoub, a resident of Nablus who had been waiting in line for two hours, said he hoped to finally purchase fuel after several failed attempts.'I came yesterday at about 11:00 p.m. and found the gas stations closed. I also came early in the morning and the situation was the same.'Ahmad Samaana, a truck driver from Nablus, complained of limits placed on fuel purchases.'Large trucks, like the one I have, need about 500 liters, but when we enter the station, the worker at the station tells me that he allows filling up with a value of 500 shekels, which is less than 100 liters of diesel,' he told AFP.'This is not enough for a truck.'Abu Al-Rob noted that 'the (fuel) supply chain remains entirely subject to Israel's will and control,' as the country controls all entry points into the West Bank, which it has occupied since relayed the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority's call 'to safeguard the flow of essential supplies — particularly fuel for hospitals, bakeries, and other critical sectors' should the situation worsen.
