Israel Demolishes Palestinian Homes in West Bank, EU Considers Settlement Goods Ban

Israeli forces demolished more Palestinian homes in the West Bank on Monday amidst settler attacks on residents of Burqa village, escalating violence ahead of Israel's expected elections in October.

The incidents coincide with Ireland's push for sanctions on goods from Israeli settlements at an informal meeting of European Union foreign ministers this week.

In the town of Birzeit, north of Ramallah, Israeli soldiers demolished two residential buildings citing lack of construction permits, according to Palestinian news agency Wafa. In Nablus, Israeli forces used bulldozers to level a two-story house and a three-story building under construction.

In Burqa, east of Ramallah, video verified by Al Jazeera showed a large group of settlers raiding the village and attacking Palestinians. One clip showed both sides throwing stones at each other.

Witnesses said settlers entered the village from multiple directions on Monday evening, assaulting residents, attempting to burn cars, and stealing livestock.

Last month, the UN human rights office said settler violence is at its “highest ever recorded,” as new settlements are approved, and settlers and Israeli forces often coordinate actions against Palestinian communities.

The issue of violence and settlement expansion is on the agenda of the two-day EU foreign ministers meeting in Ireland starting Tuesday. Ireland, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU Council and has already imposed its own ban on settlement goods, wants member states to act collectively.

Discussions are expected to build on exchanges in Brussels in July, according to a confidential European Commission document that outlined three options: an import licensing system, a prohibitive tariff, or a full ban, according to Reuters.

Current EU regulations require goods from illegal settlements in the West Bank to be labeled as originating from occupied territory, not Israel. However, the bloc has not issued a ban on trade with settlements, leaving it to individual states to decide. This policy decision has long been difficult for the 27 member states, which are deeply divided on the Israel-Palestine issue.

Neale Richmond, Ireland's minister of state, argued that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory and failure to curb settler violence is a breach of international law. He said: “We see some EU or European politicians who not only support the actions of settlers and their violence, but also support the Israeli government, who are complicit. And we cannot be complicit in the actions of the Israeli government, which is engaging in broader genocidal acts.”