Up to 6 Years in Prison: Netherlands Begins Enforcing Ban on Products From Judea, Samaria and the Golan Heights

The Dutch government began enforcing a broad economic ban on Tuesday targeting products originating in communities in Judea and Samaria and in the Golan Heights. Enforcement is not limited to commercial imports; it also applies to travelers arriving in the country with products from those areas in their luggage.

The Dutch customs authority published a Q&A guide clarifying that there is no exemption for products intended for personal use or as gifts. Herbal tea, Dead Sea soap, almonds, wine, or other products made in areas covered by the ban may therefore be confiscated upon entry into the country.

The ban also applies when only one ingredient in a product originates in those areas, even if the product was packaged elsewhere in Israel. The date of purchase does not matter either: products bought before September 22 are subject to the ban if they are brought into the Netherlands after it took effect. The regulations also apply to those arriving through another European Union country.

Beyond imports, Dutch law also prohibits buying, selling, and brokering these products within the country. A criminal violation may result in a maximum sentence of up to six years in prison. Services, however, are not included in the ban, meaning Booking.com can continue listing accommodations in Judea and Samaria and the Golan Heights.

As previously reported, the move sparked a diplomatic crisis as early as late August, when Israel expelled two Dutch security-diplomatic representatives who were operating at the coordination center in Gaza. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar presented the move as a response to the law, while the Netherlands’ foreign minister, Tom Brandesen, called Israel’s step “unnecessary.”