Baghdad welcomes decision by several countries to restrict trade with Israeli occupation

Baghdad - 17 - 9 (KUNA) -- Iraq expressed its welcome on Thursday to the decision by several European countries and Canada to impose restrictions on trade in goods with the Israeli occupation.

In a statement, the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the restrictions represent a correct step towards supporting international efforts aimed at deterring the occupation’s settlement policies, which constitute a blatant violation of international legitimacy decisions and a flagrant infringement on the rights of the Palestinian people. The ministry described the move as a positive development in enhancing respect for international law rules and the principles of international legitimacy.

The ministry expressed its hope that other countries would take similar steps in this context, contributing to halting settlement activities and ensuring the rights of the Palestinian people.

The foreign ministers of Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom announced in a joint statement on September 8 of this month their intention to impose trade restrictions and a ban on goods originating from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

This prominent collective move was driven by the significant escalation in settler violence and the expansion of settlements, which these countries view as directly undermining the prospects for achieving a two-state solution.

(End) A.H.H. / M.M.J.