Thousands of Christians visiting Israel for the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem’s annual conference have travelled to West Bank settlements in what organisers described as a protest against European restrictions on trade with Israeli settlements.
Participants visited communities in areas including Binyamin and Gush Etzion, where some purchased locally produced goods from Jewish residents.
The campaign comes amid growing disagreement between Israel and several European countries over policies targeting commercial activity connected to Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Norwegian Christian Leader Condemns European Measures
Dag Juliussen, a Christian leader from Norway, strongly criticised the European trade restrictions during a visit to Psagot winery.
Juliussen described laws preventing the purchase of products from Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria as antisemitic and argued that opposing the measures was a moral obligation.
He compared the current policies with historical efforts to exclude Jews from parts of Europe, saying that European politicians were now seeking to make Judea and Samaria “Judenrein”.
Juliussen also questioned why Jews should not be permitted to live in the area while Muslim Arabs live elsewhere in Israel.
ICEJ Mobilises Supporters
The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem has publicly opposed European trade restrictions targeting Israeli settlements.
The organisation said the policies unfairly singled out Jewish communities and encouraged conference participants to demonstrate their opposition through visits and purchases.
For supporters of the initiative, buying products directly from settlement-based businesses became a symbolic way of challenging what they regard as discriminatory European policies.
Organisation Acknowledges Concerns Over Settler Violence
While defending residents of the settlements, the ICEJ also acknowledged concerns about violence and harassment involving some settlers.
The organisation said Israeli authorities should do more to address incidents involving what it described as a small fringe of settlers who harass or attack Palestinian neighbours.
However, the ICEJ argued that such incidents should not be used to justify measures targeting all Jewish residents of the settlements who are peaceful and law-abiding.
ICEJ Accuses Europe of Double Standards
The Christian organisation has also accused European governments of applying what it considers a double standard to Israel.
In its criticism of the trade restrictions, the ICEJ pointed to other disputed territories, including Turkish-controlled Northern Cyprus and Moroccan-controlled Western Sahara.
The organisation questioned why comparable measures were not being applied to those territories and argued that Israel was being treated differently.
Dispute Over Political Motives
The ICEJ further claimed that the European restrictions were driven partly by political considerations.
The organisation suggested that the measures could be intended to influence Israel ahead of its upcoming elections, describing the restrictions as an inappropriate intervention in the affairs of another democratic country.
The ICEJ characterised the approach as disrespectful and argued that European governments would not impose similar measures on other Western democracies.
West Bank Settlements Remain Internationally Contested
The dispute over trade with Israeli settlements is part of the wider and long-running international disagreement surrounding the status of Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
For the Christian visitors supporting the ICEJ campaign, the settlement visits represent solidarity with Israeli residents and opposition to European trade restrictions.
For European governments and critics of the settlements, restrictions on settlement-related trade form part of broader efforts connected to their positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The latest campaign therefore highlights the sharply contrasting political and religious views surrounding the settlements and the international response to them.
