Christian tourists buy West Bank settlement goods in protest of European trade restrictions

Christian tourists visiting West Bank settlements during the ICEJ Feast of Tabernacles conference turned shopping into a protest against European trade restrictions. Ireland and the Netherlands have enacted bans on settlement imports; Norway is considering similar legislation. ICEJ leaders encouraged participants to buy local goods as a show of solidarity.

Christian tourists visiting West Bank settlements during the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem's annual Feast of Tabernacles conference turned shopping into a protest against European trade restrictions. Ireland's ban on settlement imports took effect Sept. 15; the Netherlands followed Sept. 22 with a broader restriction covering personal luggage. Norway is considering legislation that would prohibit imports from and exports to settlements. ICEJ Ireland director Paul Coulter tore up a copy of Ireland's law on camera. Senior VP David Parsons said the tour aimed to support businesses affected by the measures. The article quotes ICEJ officials framing the restrictions as an attempt to pressure Jewish communities to leave, a characterization disputed by the governments involved, which describe the measures as a legal distinction between Israel and territory captured in 1967.