EU debates ban on settlement products as Israeli forces raze West Bank homes

Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that Israeli soldiers demolished two residential buildings in Birzet north of Ramallah, claiming they were built without permits, and bulldozed a two-storey house and a three-storey construction site in Nablus. Video verified by one outlet showed dozens of settlers storming the village of Burqa east of Ramallah, throwing stones, attempting to set cars on fire and stealing livestock.

The UN human-rights office said settler aggression has reached an all-time high, often coordinated with the Israeli army. Meanwhile, EU foreign ministers gathered in Ireland to consider measures against goods produced in illegal West Bank settlements, with proposals that include import licences, higher tariffs or an outright ban. Ireland, presiding over the Council, argues that the occupation and unchecked settler violence violate international law. Irish minister of state Neale Richmond warned that supporting the Israeli government and its settlers would make the EU complicit in what he described as genocidal actions.