Twelve Nations Join UK in Restricting Goods from Israeli Settlements

France, Canada, and seven other European nations have announced they will advance or consider trade restrictions on goods produced in Israeli settlements in the West Bank, joining a UK-led initiative. Iceland and Spain, which had already taken steps, also joined the joint statement.

The countries involved, including Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, and Sweden, stated their intention to implement national restrictions, support similar measures at the European Union level, or explore further actions based on their internal procedures. The joint declaration welcomed existing measures by Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Norway, and Belgium.

These nations argued that settlement construction, particularly the tender publication for the E1 project, undermines the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state. They called on the Israeli government to halt settlement expansion and what they termed "settler violence," accusing it of pursuing actions akin to annexation.

British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband quoted former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who described events in the West Bank as "a violent and criminal attempt to claim ownership of territories in Judea and Samaria." Miliband sought to distinguish between actions against the Israeli government and its citizens, stating, "Our argument is not against the people of Israel, but against the conduct of its government."

The joint statement also condemned the October 7th massacre and affirmed recognition of Israel's legitimate security interests.