Twelve Nations to Impose Trade Restrictions on Israeli Settlements

Twelve countries, including the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Spain, and Sweden, have announced their intention to implement national measures or support European restrictions on trade with Israeli settlements. In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of these nations declared that the actions of the Israeli government in the West Bank, characterized by unprecedented settler violence and the advancement of tenders for the E1 settlement project, severely undermine the prospects for a two-state solution.

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband stated that "the UK government agrees that there is ethnic cleansing in Palestinian areas of the West Bank carried out by Jewish terrorists, and the Israeli government turns a blind eye to this - and worse: members of the government are making statements and supporting the forced displacement of Palestinians." He added that Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is attempting to bury the idea of a Palestinian state.

Leaders from the UK, France, and Canada have agreed on the necessity of taking steps to prevent further damage. The UK, France, and Canada also welcomed actions already taken on this issue by Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Norway, and Belgium. The ministers strongly oppose measures that imply land annexation or forced displacement, demanding that Israel immediately halt settlement expansion and administrative authority in the West Bank, prosecute violent settlers, and investigate security forces.

Concurrently, the signatories reaffirmed their recognition of Israel's legitimate security interests, condemned Hamas's October 7th terror attack, and pledged to combat antisemitism. They emphasized their commitment to a two-state solution, enabling a sovereign and democratic Palestinian state to coexist peacefully and securely alongside Israel, in accordance with UN resolutions.