Five EU states warn companies of breaking ban against Israeli settlements

At least five European states have recently warned companies and businessmen against engaging in business activities in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian lands as they risk breaking the European Union's ban in this regard, according to reports sent by Israeli ambassadors to their foreign ministry. The countries mentioned by Israeli ambassadors include Britain, Germany, Denmark, Holland and Sweden, according to Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper. According to one of these reports, one European country's foreign office told a company involved in trade with an Israeli settlement inside the occupied Palestinian borders that its actions violate local and international laws which stipulates that settlements are illegal. The newspaper said that the company considered dropping out of the project but is also under pressure from Israel to stay on board. The newspaper quoted an official source from the Israeli foreign ministry as saying that other European Union (EU) countries, as well as the EU commission, are considering issuing warnings advising businessmen to avoid financial activities in the Israeli illegal settlements. However, the Israeli official belittled these European warnings as having no legal significance and politically-motivated.