EU Caught Funding Illegal Israeli Settlements with 71% of Goods Flowing Through Just 3 Countries
A new investigation reveals European countries are systematically importing massive quantities of agricultural products from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, with France, the Netherlands, and Germany accounting for 71% of all settlement goods entering the EU.
The report, titled *Importing Occupation* and published by the Global Echo Litigation Center, analyzed 30,000 export documents linked to more than 6,800 shipments between 2017 and 2026 [170174]. The findings show that settlement goods enter European markets "in large quantities" and in a systematic way, with most products labeled as "Product of Israel" to hide their true origin [170174].
British lawyer Jessica Stober, legal director of Global Echo, called the evidence "overwhelming" and said the system is not a series of small mistakes. "The entire system is broken," she said. "It has structural failures and cannot stop widespread abuse" [170174].
The report highlights a specific case in Spain, where more than 75% of shipments from Israel contained settlement products. In September 2025, Spain banned imports from settlements, but Stober said it is too early to know the impact [170174].
Amnesty International has separately called on governments to halt all trade, investment, and cooperation that contribute to what it calls Israel's "unlawful occupation" in the West Bank [170647]. The human rights group urged states to impose targeted sanctions on Israeli officials it holds responsible for the situation, referencing previous reports accusing Israel of accelerating "ethnic cleansing" in the occupied territory [170647].
Stober noted that the International Court of Justice ruled in July 2024 that Israel's occupation of Palestinian land is illegal, and said settlements are a war crime. "The import of settlement products helps finance these illegal settlements," she said. "It also has a devastating impact on Palestinian communities" [170174].
Settlement agriculture uses large amounts of water diverted from Palestinian communities. "Water is being diverted from Palestinian communities to irrigate settlement farms," Stober said. "Palestinian villages sometimes do not have enough water for basic needs" [170174].
Global Echo plans to take legal action in multiple countries and called on EU countries and the UK to open investigations. "The law is clear," Stober said. "The EU and its member states must listen" [170174].