News item | 22-05-2026 | 14:03
The government is working on a ban on trade in goods from unlawful Israeli settlements. To this end, the cabinet decided on May 22, 2026 to submit a sanction decision to the Council of State for urgent advice.
Why sanctions against unlawful Israeli settlements?
According to the International Court of Justice and the cabinet, the Israeli occupation is unlawful. With it sanction decision The Netherlands further fleshes out its international law obligation not to contribute to this unlawful situation.
The government is also very concerned about the situation in the West Bank and Gaza, as well as the Syrian Golan Heights to which this decision also applies. Read more about Dutch policy regarding Israel and the Palestinian Territories.
What do the sanctions entail?
The proposed sanctions prohibit Dutch (legal) persons from:
- import goods from illegal Israeli settlements;
- to buy or sell goods from unlawful Israeli settlements;
- to provide brokering services related to goods from unlawful Israeli settlements;
- to circumvent the above trading prohibitions.
After receiving the advice from the Council of State, the cabinet will prepare a response to this advice, the sanction decision will be finalized and published in the Government Gazette. The sanctions come into effect 2 months after publication.
The discouragement policy that the Netherlands has been pursuing since 2006 continues to apply to other economic activities that directly contribute to the construction or maintenance of unlawful settlements.
Information for entrepreneurs
Do you have any questions about the consequences of this sanction decision for your company? Keep the page Sanctions for doing business in unlawful Israeli settlements of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). Additional information about the sanctions will be provided here following the advice of the Council of State. You can also contact RVO customer contact for personal advice.
