A European coalition of more than 100 civil society organisations, has launched a European Citizens Initiative (ECI) to stop trade with illegal settlements in occupied territories. Academics for Palestine is a partner of the Irish ECI campaign, along with other 20 Ireland-based social and cultural organisations.

An ECI is an official instrument for democratic participation of citizens in EU policy making. If an ECI garners one million signatures from EU citizens over 12 months, the European Commission must consider and debate the petition’s demands. This ECI demands EU legislation that will outlaw trade with illegal settlements, anywhere and at all times, including trade with Israel’s illegal settlements in occupied Palestine. Academics for Palestine calls on its supporters and every EU citizen concerned about human rights, social justice and fair trade to sign the petition: https://action.uplift.ie/campaigns/stopsettlements

Even though illegal settlements constitute a war crime under international law, the EU allows trade with them. In the case of Israel’s settlements, the UN Security Council has called on states to render them no assistance, and the European Union has repeatedly declared that they constitute a flagrant violation of international law. Nevertheless, the EU continues to trade with them, which has emboldened their ongoing expansion.

The European Citizens Initiative is an official direct democratic instrument of the European Union, and the aim of this ECI initiative is holding the European Union accountable to respect international law and obligations, such as UNSC resolution 2334 (2016). As academics, we also are concerned by the continuous infringements of the right to education of Palestinian students. The expansion of illegal settlements has hindered Palestinian colleagues’ and students’ ability to reach schools and universities, due to increasing territorial fragmentation and restrictions to their freedom of movement. Additionally, the Israeli military has often attacked and violently raided university campuses, wounding students and staff and causing significant disruptions to normal academic activities, as has recently happened in Birzeit University between December 2021 and January 2022.

Academics for Palestine endorses the ECI to stop trade with illegal settlements in occupied territories. We have 12 months to collect one million signatures. We invite supporters and colleagues to support the initiative by signing the petition: https://action.uplift.ie/campaigns/stopsettlements