DayofPal—Forty countries gathered in The Hague under the umbrella of The Hague Group to discuss coordinated measures against Israel’s expanding settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Diplomats warn that settlement expansions in the occupied West Bank warn amount to de facto annexation.
The meeting, co-chaired by South Africa and Colombia, aimed to translate political commitments into enforceable legal actions.
Palestinian ambassador to the Netherlands, Ammar Hijazi, described the summit as a rare effort to implement international law, emphasizing that the prohibition of annexation, the right to self-determination, and third-state obligations are already well established.
Participants discussed measures including enhanced accountability for international crimes, banning imports of settlement goods, restricting companies operating in settlements, and halting arms transfers to Israel.
The gathering followed Israel’s approval of the E1 settlement project and recent cabinet measures extending Israeli civilian authority over parts of the West Bank, further weakening Palestinian self-rule.
Mauricio Jaramillo, Colombia’s vice-minister for multilateral affairs, stressed that governments must choose between enforcing the law or allowing impunity to prevail.
Founded in January 2025, The Hague Group has previously held emergency summits, including a two-day meeting in Bogota last July, calling for international sanctions and accountability for Israel’s actions in Gaza.
The 4 March gathering marks the group’s largest meeting to date and underscores growing global concern over Israel’s occupation policies and their impact on the viability of a Palestinian state.
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