The Netherlands has this week begun enforcing a ban on the import and sale of goods originating in Israeli settlements in territories occupied by Israel, with the measure applying not only to businesses but also to products carried into the country in travellers’ luggage.
Violations will be treated as serious crimes, punishable by up to six years in prison, alongside a fine – with even unintentional violations potentially resulting in up to one year in prison.
The measures took effect on September 22, with customs officers checking goods at the border looking for goods wholly or partly obtained or produced in settlements designated by the Dutch government as unlawful.
It applies to commercial imports as well as souvenirs, gifts and goods intended for personal use, though authorities have indicated that prosecutors will focus particularly on systematic and deliberate violations.
Israeli Ambassador to the Netherlands Zvi A Vapni described the policy as being driven by “petty politics” and warned it could have unintended consequences for Palestinians and other communities in the region.
“Through its rigid targeting of Israeli settlements, the Netherlands is inadvertently harming Samaritans, Palestinians, and other hardworking local communities,” Vapni wrote on X this week.
“As an Israeli, tahini is a daily staple in my kitchen, and Har Bracha is easily one of the finest. Beyond being delicious, it stands as a genuine symbol of economic coexistence and everyday normalcy.
“But don’t mistake the driving force behind these boycotts for truth or pragmatism. Too often, the initiative is less about doing good and more about petty politics.”
We all know the parable of the Good Samaritan. Unfortunately, the Dutch government seems determined to punish the real ones.
— Amb. Zvi A. Vapni (@vapni) September 22, 2026
Through its rigid targeting of Israeli settlements, the Netherlands is inadvertently harming Samaritans, Palestinians, and other hardworking local… pic.twitter.com/JjsKdf4ck5
Enforcing the ban could prove difficult, with products such as dates, oranges and herbs often sold through supply chains that do not clearly identify the settlement where they were produced. Goods may instead be labelled as originating from Israel, mixed with other produce or distributed using Israeli addresses.
Dutch supermarket chains say they have already established procedures to check the origins of products.
Albert Heijn, the largest supermarket chain in the Netherlands, said it is monitoring the new rules and would investigate if necessary, while Lidl said it sells virtually no products from Israel.
Jumbo said it has been addressing the issue for some time and sells products including dates, mangoes and herbs from Israel, with an independent party verifying that the products originate in Israel rather than the settlements covered by the ban.
The restrictions have drawn criticism from pro-Israel organisations and businesses involved in importing settlement-produced goods. The Israel Products Center (IPC), described as the largest Dutch importer of goods from the affected areas, has threatened legal action against the government over the measure.
The company has said the ban will affect part of its imports, including roughly 20,000 bottles of wine it purchases annually from the affected areas. These bottles, bought for about €100,000 ($116,000), reportedly account for 3-5 per cent of IPC’s imports overall.
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