12 Nations Move Against West Bank Settlement Trade, Palestinians Welcome Action

Twelve Western nations, including the UK, France, Canada, and several Nordic and Southern European countries, have announced plans to impose national restrictions or support European measures against trade in goods from Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The Palestinian Authority welcomed the move, viewing it as a transition from political stances to practical steps against settlement activity. The nations affirmed their commitment to the two-state solution and rejection of settlements, annexation, and forced displacement.

The Palestinian Authority presidency described the initiative as an important step towards accountability for settlements, stating that it challenges the normalization of the situation in the Palestinian territories. They urged the signatory nations and the EU to move beyond political statements to binding actions, including a ban on trade with settlements and sanctions against settlers and their supporters.

Senior Palestinian official Hussein al-Sheikh called the declaration a beginning for broader action, emphasizing the need for decisive measures to halt settlement expansion and the de facto annexation of the West Bank. He warned that the E1 settlement plan, along with ongoing expansion, threatens to fragment the West Bank and undermine the possibility of a contiguous Palestinian state.

The UK's announcement of a ban on goods from settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, was particularly highlighted. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry called it a significant shift, urging other countries to adopt similar measures. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated that Palestinian suffering is a "stain on the conscience of the world" and announced measures targeting Israeli government policies, including the settlement trade ban and sanctions on individuals and companies supporting settlement activity. Britain also officially declared the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories illegal for the first time.

Jordan, Egypt, and Qatar also welcomed the move. Amman viewed the restrictions as reflecting adherence to international law, while Cairo and Doha called the British ban an important step against settlement activity and a deterrent to settlement policies, aligning with UN Security Council resolutions and international law. Turkey's Foreign Ministry supported the 12 nations' initiative, labeling Israeli efforts to undermine the two-state solution as increasing and describing settlement activity as a "systematic policy" threatening a Palestinian state, with settler violence reaching a level of "ethnic cleansing."