Food from illegal West Bank settlements sold in Australia labelled “produce of Israel”

Food grown in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank is being sold in Australia labelled “produce of Israel”, according to an analysis by the human rights legal organisation Global Echo, published in November 2026. It found at least US$5m (A$7.2m) of organic dates from settlements were shipped to Australia over the past eight years. The issue matters because several European countries already restrict settlement goods, while Australia does not.

What the data shows

The group examined commercial documents plus data from the Israeli government and the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Of 132 agricultural shipments from Israel to Australia between August 2018 and August 2026, 85 – 64% – contained settlement products. From January 2025 to August 2026, 20 of 24 date shipments analysed came from settlements, including Netiv Hagdud, Beit Haarava and Hamra.

Israeli law requires exporters to label settlement goods as Israeli, unless the destination country prohibits such labelling. Australia has no ban on importing settlement goods and no rule requiring them to be labelled as coming from occupied land. Australia recognises the state of Palestine, and the settlements are illegal under international law.

Reactions

Global Echo executive director Emily Schaeffer Omer-Man said Australian consumers would likely find it startling and may be contributing to the occupation. She added that European import bans could push exporters towards other markets, potentially including Australia. Sarah Sanbar, Israel/Palestine researcher at Human Rights Watch, said international trade is one of the lifelines of the settlements.

Foreign minister Penny Wong told the Senate in September that the settlements were illegal but said Australia was not pursuing a blanket import ban, citing concerns about unintended consequences for Australian businesses. The foreign affairs and trade department said Australia is pursuing further targeted measures with international partners. The Israeli embassy in Canberra did not respond. Israel’s ambassador to Australia, Hillel Newman, earlier said the settlements issue had been blown out of proportion and that Australia should not follow the UK’s example.