Occupied West Bank: Jordan Valley settlers unmoved by international sanctions

In the Netherlands, the ban on importing, purchasing and selling products from Israeli settlements entered into force on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, a measure announced two weeks after twelve countries, including France, announced they would restrict trade with settlements deemed illegal under international law.

In the Jordan Valley, in the occupied West Bank, one of the main Israeli settlement territories, these new trade restrictions appear to have sparked little concern among settlers on the ground, according to field observations.

Most countries and international organizations consider Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, a position rejected by the Israeli government, which argues for historical and security rights over these territories.

The commercial measures announced by the twelve countries aim to exert economic pressure on settlement activities, particularly agriculture, a major sector in the Jordan Valley where many farms produce goods destined for export, including to Europe.

The available information does not specify whether these trade restrictions have already had a measurable impact on export volumes from the settlements in question, nor how Israeli authorities intend to respond to the expansion of these measures by new European countries.