Amnesty urges further action after 12 states

Twelve states have announced plans to restrict trade with illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, a move Amnesty International calls a welcome but overdue development. The human rights organization insists these measures must be followed by concrete actions to dismantle Israel's unlawful occupation and its institutionalized system of apartheid.

Amnesty International's Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns, Erika Guevara Rosas, stated that while important, the announced trade restrictions fall far short of meeting the International Court of Justice's July 2024 instructions to states. The court had directed states 'not to render aid or assistance' in maintaining Israel's unlawful occupation.

A call for broader measures

Guevara Rosas argued that to truly address violations, states must target the infrastructure that funds and sustains the occupation. This requires imposing measures on key Israeli government ministries implicated in providing material support to illegal settlements and settlement infrastructure. She stated, 'To truly tackle the violations stemming from illegal settlements states must go further; they must target the very infrastructure that funds, sustains and supports Israel’s unlawful occupation.'

The organization contends that settlement expansion, now accelerated by state-backed settler violence, is a core component of Israeli policy and inseparable from its overarching system of apartheid. Entire Palestinian communities in the West Bank face imminent erasure amidst what Amnesty describes as an ongoing ethnic cleansing campaign.

Demands for sanctions and accountability

Amnesty International called for all states to cease political, financial, and military support that contributes to Israel's systematic violations of international law. It specifically demands targeted sanctions, including travel bans and asset freezes, against five named Israeli officials: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Foreign Minister Israel Katz, and Minister for Settlement Affairs Orit Strock. These officials are cited as being directly implicated in ethnic cleansing, forcible transfer, and maintaining the occupation and apartheid.

The organization also demands a ban on the transfer of arms and security equipment that could help Israeli violations.

Next steps for the European Union

For European Union member states, Amnesty outlined specific required actions. It says EU states must call on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to propose a comprehensive EU-wide ban on trade with settlements and must secure support from key states like Italy and Germany. The next logical step, according to the organization, is to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement.

Guevara Rosas warned that failure to act decisively sends a dangerous signal of unwillingness to uphold legal obligations and emboldens Israeli authorities. Meanwhile, Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip continue to battle for survival amidst what Amnesty characterizes as Israel's ongoing genocide. The statement concluded that there is no longer any room for excuses, delays, or half measures.