Slovenia calls on Brussels regarding trade with Israeli settlements
Ljubljana – Slovenia, along with eight other EU member states, called on the European Commission on Monday to take the necessary steps to comply with last year’s ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which prohibits trade with illegal Israeli settlements in Palestine, confirmed the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The foreign ministers of Slovenia, Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden reminded the European Commission in a letter obtained by STA of last year’s ruling regarding the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories.
The ICJ determined on July 19, 2024, that Israel’s presence in the Palestinian territories is illegal. In light of this, the court emphasized the duty of all states not to support illegal occupation through trade relations and to ensure that Israel acts in accordance with the court’s decision.
“In the unified European market, where the European Union has exclusive competence in the field of trade policy, the European Commission must prepare proposals for concrete measures to ensure that the union fulfills the obligations set by the court,” the ministers wrote.
They advocated for the preparation of a concrete timeline for the EU to fully comply with the ruling by the time of the first anniversary of the ICJ’s decision.
The United Nations General Assembly requested an opinion from the ICJ in 2022 on the legal consequences arising from Israel’s policies and practices in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem. More than 50 countries participated in the process, including Slovenia. (June 19)
