Dutch customs searched the luggage of passengers arriving at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport on an El Al flight from Tel Aviv for goods originating in Israeli settlements. The checks followed the Netherlands’ new ban on importing, buying and selling settlement goods, which now also covers items carried in personal baggage, including souvenirs and gifts.
The measure took effect on 22 September and gives customs authority to inspect luggage on arrival in the Netherlands. Reports from passengers and customs guidance indicate that officers were looking for products such as wine, dates and olives, and passengers may be asked to prove where an item was made or obtained.
The enforcement has become politically sensitive after the Netherlands moved to apply the restrictions and Israel reacted sharply. For travellers on flights from Israel to the Netherlands, the practical impact is that baggage screening can now extend beyond commercial shipments to private luggage, with prohibited items subject to seizure if they fall within the settlement-goods ban.