AMSTERDAM (Reuters) -The Dutch government plans to ban imports of goods produced in Jewish settlements in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories over Israel’s plans for the West Bank and its military offensive in Gaza, the foreign minister told parliament.
The Netherlands imposed travel bans on two far-right Israeli cabinet ministers in July, accusing them of inciting violence against Palestinians and calling for an “ethnic cleansing” of Gaza, but the government had been reluctant to take further steps until now.
Last month, former Foreign Minister Casper Veldkamp resigned because he said he felt no support within the cabinet to take additional measures against Israel.
But his successor, David van Weel, told parliament late on Wednesday he had instructed his department to draft a government decree on the import ban, saying the measure would be implemented as soon as possible.
The Netherlands is a leading global buyer of Israeli goods, but Van Weel did not say what volume of goods are currently imported from Jewish settlements.
Most of the international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law. The Israeli government deems settlements legal under its own laws, while some so-called “outposts” are illegal but often tolerated and sometimes later legalised.
The Netherlands also supports the European Commission’s plans to suspend trade-related measures in a European Union agreement with Israel, Van Weel said.
(Reporting by Bart Meijer and Stephanie van den Berg;Editing by Helen Popper)
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