Amsterdam:Dutch authorities conducted searches of passengers on an Israeli El Al flight arriving in Amsterdam for products from West Bank settlements, as reported by Israeli broadcaster Channel 12.

According to Anadolu Agency, these checks, described as unusual, focused on passengers traveling from Tel Aviv. Customs officers were specifically looking for goods originating from settlements in the occupied West Bank or Golan Heights.

The report did not specify if any such goods were discovered or if any actions were taken against passengers. Channel 12 attributed the searches to a recent Dutch ban on importing, purchasing, and selling goods from Israeli settlements, which went into effect last week.

As part of this new measure, the Dutch government prohibits the import of goods from settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories and also bans services that facilitate such trade. Furthermore, Channel 12 noted that importing settlement products into the Netherlands could result in a prison sentence of up to six years.

There has been no immediate response from Dutch authorities regarding the report by Channel 12.

In a related development, Israel has given Dutch diplomats stationed in Ramallah a seven-day deadline to return their Israeli-issued diplomatic documents, according to Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar. This action is a response to the Dutch ban on trade in goods from Israeli settlements. The Dutch Embassy in Israel was informed of this decision, and diplomatic privileges and immunities will be revoked after the specified period.

The Dutch measure follows an announcement by 12 countries, including France, Britain, and Canada, among others, indicating their intention to impose trade restrictions on Israeli settlements. These countries have also urged Israel to cease settlement expansion and occupier violence.

Israel's government, since taking office in late 2022, has approved 104 new settlements, while 160 agricultural settlement outposts have been established in the West Bank. The UN continues to assert that Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories are illegal under international law, warning that they compromise the possibility of a two-state solution.