Editing Israeli settlement (section)

== Economy ==
[[File:Ma'ale adumim 01.jpg|thumb|Many residents of [[Ma'ale Adumim]] work in [[Mishor Adumim]] industrial park]]
Goods produced in Israeli settlements are able to stay competitive on the global market, in part because of massive state subsidies they receive from the Israeli government. Farmers and producers are given state assistance, while companies that set up in the territories receive tax breaks and direct government subsidies. An Israeli government fund has also been established to help companies pay customs penalties.<ref name=SpiegelSC /> Palestinian officials estimate that settlers sell goods worth some $500 million to the Palestinian market.<ref name="Reuters">[http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LDE64Q136.htm Q&A-Palestinians boycott Israeli settler goods], Reuters, 27 May 2010</ref> Israel has built 16 industrial zones, containing roughly 1000 industrial plants, in the West Bank and East Jerusalem on acreage that consumes large parts of the territory planned for a future Palestinian state. According to Jodi Rudoren these installations both entrench the occupation and provide work for Palestinians, even those opposed to it. The 16 parks are located at [[Shaked]], [[Beka'ot]], [[Baran, Israel|Baran]], [[Karnei Shomron]], [[Immanuel (town)|Emmanuel]], [[Barkan]], [[Ariel (city)|Ariel]], [[Shilo, Mateh Binyamin|Shilo]], [[Halamish]], [[Ma'ale Efraim]], [[Sha'ar Binyamin Industrial Zone|Sha'ar Binyamin]], [[Atarot]], [[Mishor Adumim]], [[Gush Etzion]], [[Kiryat Arba]] and [[Metarim]] (2001).<ref>Jodi Rudoren, [https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/11/world/middleeast/palestinians-work-in-west-bank-for-israeli-industry-they-oppose.html?hpw&rref=world 'In West Bank Settlements, Israeli Jobs Are Double-Edged Sword,'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140309084938/http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/11/world/middleeast/palestinians-work-in-west-bank-for-israeli-industry-they-oppose.html?hpw&rref=world |date=9 March 2014 }} ''New York Times'', 10 February 2014.</ref>
In spite of this, the West Bank settlements have failed to develop a self-sustaining local economy. About 60% of the settler workforce commutes to Israel for work. The settlements rely primarily on the labor of their residents in Israel proper rather than local manufacturing, agriculture, or research and development. Of the industrial parks in the settlements, there are only two significant ones, at Ma'ale Adumim and Barkan, with most of the workers there being Palestinian. Only a few hundred settler households cultivate agricultural land, and rely primarily on Palestinian labor in doing so.<ref>{{Cite news| url=https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-the-settlement-enterprise-has-failed-1.5421498| title=The Settlement Enterprise Has Failed| newspaper=Haaretz| date=17 November 2015| access-date=19 July 2019| archive-date=19 July 2019| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190719075200/https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-the-settlement-enterprise-has-failed-1.5421498| url-status=live}}</ref>

Settlement has an economic dimension, much of it driven by the significantly lower costs of housing for Israeli citizens living in Israeli settlements compared to the cost of housing and living in Israel proper.<ref name="maannews.net" /> Government spending per citizen in the settlements is double that spent per Israeli citizen in [[Tel Aviv]] and [[Jerusalem]], while government spending for settlers in isolated Israeli settlements is three times the Israeli national average. Most of the spending goes to the security of the Israeli citizens living there.<ref name=Rudoren />

=== Export to EU ===
According to Israeli government estimates, $230 million worth of settler goods including fruit, vegetables, cosmetics, textiles and toys are exported to the EU each year, accounting for approximately 2% of all Israeli exports to Europe.<ref name=SpiegelSC>{{cite news|last=Sydow|first=Christoph|title=Activists Seek Ban on Trade with Israeli Settlers|url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/eu-activists-demand-an-end-to-imports-from-israeli-settlements-a-864355.html|access-date=2012-11-02|newspaper=Spiegel|date=2012-10-30|archive-date=26 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126032414/https://www.spiegel.de/international/world/eu-activists-demand-an-end-to-imports-from-israeli-settlements-a-864355.html|url-status=live}}</ref> A 2013 report of Profundo revealed that at least 38 Dutch companies imported settlement products.<ref name=Profundo>Profundo, [http://www.profundo.nl/files/download/Cord-ICCO-IKV0413.pdf ''Dutch economic links with the occupation''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130621170906/http://www.profundo.nl/files/download/Cord-ICCO-IKV0413.pdf |date=21 June 2013 }}. 20 April 2013. [http://www.profundo.nl/page/show/themes#mensenrechten Available on] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130621115244/http://www.profundo.nl/page/show/themes#mensenrechten |date=21 June 2013 }}</ref>

[[European Union]] law requires a distinction to be made between goods originating in Israel and those from the occupied territories. The former benefit from preferential custom treatment according to the [[Israel–European Union relations|EU-Israel Association Agreement (2000)]]; the latter don't, having been explicitly excluded from the agreement.<ref name=SpiegelSC /><ref name=g20091210 /> In practice, however, settler goods often avoid mandatory customs through being labelled as originating in Israel, while European customs authorities commonly fail to complete obligatory postal code checks of products to ensure they have not originated in the occupied territories.<ref name=SpiegelSC /><ref name=Profundo />

In 2009, the [[United Kingdom]]'s Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs issued new guidelines concerning labelling of goods imported from the West Bank. The new guidelines require labelling to clarify whether West Bank products originate from settlements or from the Palestinian economy. Israel's foreign ministry said that the UK was "catering to the demands of those whose ultimate goal is the boycott of Israeli products"; but this was denied by the UK government, who said that the aim of the new regulations was to allow consumers to choose for themselves what produce they buy.<ref name=g20091210>{{Cite news|author1=Ian Black |author2=Rory McCarthy |title=UK issues new guidance on labelling of food from illegal West Bank settlements|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/dec/10/guidance-labelling-food-israeli-settlements|newspaper=The Guardian|location=United Kingdom|date=10 December 2009|access-date=5 January 2012}}]</ref> Denmark has similar legislation requiring food products from settlements in the occupied territories to be accurately labelled.<ref name=SpiegelSC /> In June 2022, Norway also stated that it would begin complying with EU regulation to label produce originating from Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Golan Heights as such.<ref>{{cite news |publisher=Times of Israel |title=Israel bristles as Norway mandates labels for produce from West Bank, Golan |date=11 June 2022 |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-bristles-as-norway-mandates-labels-for-produce-from-west-bank-golan/ |access-date=13 June 2022 |archive-date=13 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220613090739/https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-bristles-as-norway-mandates-labels-for-produce-from-west-bank-golan/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 12 November 2019 the Court of Justice of the European Union in a ruling<ref>{{Cite web |date=12 November 2019 |title=Foodstuffs originating in the territories occupied by the State of Israel must bear the indication of their territory of origin, accompanied, where those foodstuffs come from an Israeli settlement within that territory, by the indication of that provenance |url=https://curia.europa.eu/jcms/upload/docs/application/pdf/2019-11/cp190140en.pdf |access-date=9 October 2023 |website=[[Court of Justice of the European Union]] |archive-date=21 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231121085809/https://curia.europa.eu/jcms/upload/docs/application/pdf/2019-11/cp190140en.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> covering all territory Israel captured in the 1967 war decided that labels on foodstuffs must not imply that goods produced in occupied territory came from Israel itself and must "prevent consumers from being misled as to the fact that the State of Israel is present in the territories concerned as an occupying power and not as a sovereign entity". In its ruling, the court said that failing to inform EU consumers they were potentially buying goods produced in settlements denies them access to "ethical considerations and considerations relating to the observance of international law".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-eu-court-israel-settlements/eu-court-rules-goods-from-israeli-settlements-must-be-labeled-idUSKBN1XM1WU|title=EU court rules goods from Israeli settlements must be labeled|publisher=Reuters|date=12 November 2019|access-date=12 November 2019|archive-date=12 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191112161845/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-eu-court-israel-settlements/eu-court-rules-goods-from-israeli-settlements-must-be-labeled-idUSKBN1XM1WU|url-status=live}}</ref>

In January 2019 the [[Dáil Éireann|Dail]] (Ireland's [[lower house]]) voted in favour, by 78 to 45, of the [[Occupied Territories Bill|Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018 |url=https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/bill/2018/6/eng/initiated/b0618s.pdf |access-date=9 October 2023 |website=data.oireachtas.ie |archive-date=30 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130044321/https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/bill/2018/6/eng/initiated/b0618s.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> This piece of legislation prohibits the purchasing of any good and/or service from the [[Golan Heights]], [[East Jerusalem]] or [[West Bank]] settlements. The Bill made no further progress until 2024 when the then government sought legal advice from the [[Attorney-General for Ireland|Attorney General]] in response to the [[International Court of Justice]]'s ruling on [[ICJ case on Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories|Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.thejournal.ie/occupied-territories-bill-could-come-before-dail-next-week-6515572-Oct2024/ | title=Plan to progress Occupied Territories Bill could go to Cabinet as early as next week, says O'Gorman | date=15 October 2024 }}</ref> Following the Attorney General's advice the [[Tánaiste]] and [[Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade|Minister for Foreign Affairs]], [[Micheál Martin]] confirmed on 22 October 2024 that the Bill would be "reviewed and amendments prepared in order to bring in into line with the Constitution and EU Law".<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/dad83-statement-by-tanaiste-micheal-martin-on-the-occupied-territories-bill/ | title=Statement by Tánaiste Micheál Martin on the Occupied Territories Bill | date=22 October 2024 }}</ref> On 31 October 2024, it was reported that a technical blockage of the Bill would be removed to allow it to proceed to committee stage, however the Bill was not passed before the Dáil was suspended [[Adjournment sine die|''sine die'']] on the 7 November 2024 marking the end of the [[33rd Dáil]].

A petition under the [[European Citizens' Initiative]], submitted in September 2021, was accepted on 20 February 2022. The petition seeks the adoption of legislation to ban trade with unlawful settlements. The petition requires a million signatures from across the EU and has received support from civil society groups including [[Human Rights Watch]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-palestine-petition-calls-europe-ban-trade-illegal-settlements|title=Citizen-led petition calls on Europe to ban trade with Israeli settlements|website=Middle East Eye|access-date=22 February 2022|archive-date=22 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220222155004/https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-palestine-petition-calls-europe-ban-trade-illegal-settlements|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://euobserver.com/world/154397|title=Petition seeks EU ban on Israeli settler products|website=EUobserver|date=21 February 2022|access-date=22 February 2022|archive-date=22 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220222155006/https://euobserver.com/world/154397|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.courthousenews.com/court-takes-up-bid-for-boycott-over-israels-occupation-of-palestine/ | title=Court Takes up Bid for Boycott over Israel's Occupation of Palestine | access-date=22 February 2022 | archive-date=22 February 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220222155005/https://www.courthousenews.com/court-takes-up-bid-for-boycott-over-israels-occupation-of-palestine/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/02/21/europe-ban-trade-illegal-settlements|title=Europe: Ban Trade with Illegal Settlements|date=21 February 2022|access-date=22 February 2022|archive-date=22 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220222155004/https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/02/21/europe-ban-trade-illegal-settlements|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://europa.eu/citizens-initiative/initiatives/details/2021/000008_en|title=Initiative detail &#124; European Citizens' Initiative|website=europa.eu|access-date=22 February 2022|archive-date=21 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220221060836/https://europa.eu/citizens-initiative/initiatives/details/2021/000008_en|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Palestinian economy and resources ===
A Palestinian report argued in 2011 that settlements have a detrimental effect on the Palestinian economy, equivalent to about 85% of the nominal gross domestic product of Palestine, and that the "occupation enterprise" allows the state of Israel and commercial firms to profit from Palestinian natural resources and tourist potential.<ref name=g20110929>{{Cite news|author=Harriet Sherwood|title=Israeli occupation hitting Palestinian economy, claims report|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/sep/29/israeli-occupation-hits-palestinian-economy|newspaper=The Guardian|location=United Kingdom|date=29 September 2011|access-date=9 January 2012}}]</ref> A 2013 report published by the [[World Bank]] analysed the impact that the limited access to Area C lands and resources had on the Palestinian economy. While settlements represent a single axis of control, it is the largest with 68% of the Area C lands reserved for the settlements. The report goes on to calculate that access to the lands and resources of Area C, including the territory in and around settlements, would increase the Palestinian GDP by some $3.5 billion (or 35%) per year.<ref>{{cite journal|last=World Bank|title=West Bank and Gaza:Area C and the Future of the Palestinian Economy|journal=Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Department|date=2 October 2013|issue=Report No. AUS2922|url=http://www.haaretz.co.il/st/inter/Hheb/images/worldbankctar.pdf|access-date=10 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413145555/http://www.haaretz.co.il/st/inter/Hheb/images/worldbankctar.pdf|archive-date=13 April 2014}}</ref>

The Israeli Supreme Court has ruled that Israeli companies are entitled to exploit the West Bank's natural resources for economic gain, and that international law must be "adapted" to the "reality on the ground" of long-term occupation.<ref name=g20110103>{{Cite news|author=Harriet Sherwood|title=Israeli companies can profit from West Bank resources, court rules|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/jan/03/israeli-companies-west-bank-resources|newspaper=The Guardian|location=United Kingdom|date=3 January 2011|access-date=9 January 2012}}]</ref>