The Jordan Valley has the potential to be the Palestinian breadbasket, yet restrictions on Palestinians’ use of land, water, and on building in the valley are keeping them poor while helping nearby Israeli settlements thrive. This stark report by Oxfam says Palestinians could generate an extra $1.5 billion annually if these Israeli restrictions were removed. However, the reality remains that this arable area is benefiting few Palestinians and a majority Israeli settlers, who are given unhindered access to land and water resources.

Delving into the issue further one can find that the European Union (EU), a vocal critic of Israel’s blatant disregard of international law, is actually supporting the very same settlements it criticizes. According to Palestinian legal rights group, Al Haq, by trading in produce grown in settlements, the EU is “directly contributing to the growth and viability of settlements by providing an essential source of revenue that allows them to thrive. This is especially true of settlements in the Jordan Valley, at least 60 percent of which are dependent on agriculture.”

For years, the EU has been trying to address how to best approach the issue of settlement produce. Labeling has been a sticking point especially because many goods originating from settlements are often marked as “Made in Israel” or “Produce of the West Bank,” suggesting they are imported from either the Palestinian territories or from Israel proper. In some cases, as in the UK, supermarkets have been identifying goods as “Israeli settlement produce” to give buyers a clearer idea of their place of origin. However, the EU as a whole has repeatedly rejected a call to boycott settlement goods.

According to Al-Haq, labeling is not enough either way. “In itself, such a measure does not satisfy the level of action required. … States will only fully comply with their obligations under customary international law by enforcing a ban on the trade of produce coming from Israeli settlements.” But calls for sanctions have received little more than a lukewarm reception from EU states.