Insufficient Measures Require Immediate Escalation
Erika Guevara Rosas, Amnesty International’s Director of Research, Advocacy, Policy, and Campaigns, responded to the joint announcement by Spain, Ireland, Iceland, Portugal, Poland, Denmark, Sweden, France, Finland, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Norway. These countries declared their intention to restrict trade with illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory and to consider further measures. Rosas characterized this declaration as a welcome development that arrived too late and emphasized that it must serve as a precursor to more robust actions aimed at ending Israel’s unlawful occupation and institutionalized apartheid system.
Failure to Comply with International Court Rulings
Rosas stated that the currently announced measures do not meet the standards set by the International Court of Justice advisory opinion issued in July 2024. That ruling obligates states to refrain from providing aid or assistance in maintaining the illegal occupation. She argued that settlement expansion, supported by state-sanctioned settler violence, is central to policies driving unprecedented displacement and dispossession. This process cannot be separated from the broader apartheid regime imposed on Palestinians.
Demands for Targeted Sanctions and Arms Embargoes
The organization called on states to take concrete action against entities financing and sustaining the occupation. This includes imposing targeted sanctions such as travel bans and asset freezes on key Israeli figures directly involved in ethnic cleansing and forced displacement in the West Bank. The list of names specified by Amnesty International includes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Foreign Minister Israel Katz, and Agriculture Minister Orit Strock. Additionally, Amnesty urged all countries to prohibit the transfer of arms and security equipment that could facilitate serious violations of international law.
Pressure on European Union Institutions
Rosas highlighted the urgent need for EU member states to demand that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen propose a comprehensive EU-wide ban on trade with settlements. She urged major economies like Italy and Germany to support this proposal and called for the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. Rosas concluded that excuses and delays are no longer acceptable, warning that inaction signals a failure to uphold legal obligations and encourages impunity while leaving Palestinians without meaningful protection.
This report was produced by the HuMedia newsroom.
