12 countries move to impose restrictions on trade with settlements

Washington – Agencies: Twelve countries, including France, Britain, and Canada, announced their intention to impose national restrictions on trade in goods coming from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, or to support European restrictions on the matter, amid escalating settler violence and settlement expansion. In a joint statement, the countries said that “Israeli government measures in the West Bank undermine the possibility of achieving a two-state solution.” The list includes Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said his country intends to begin procedures to ban products from Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Writing on the X platform, Barrot stated, “France will end its trade with Israeli settlements in Palestine, alongside 11 other countries that have pledged to take similar measures.” He added, “Why are we doing this? Because the West Bank is on the verge of exploding,” pointing to settlement expansion and rising violence against Palestinians.

A French diplomatic source said Paris decided to act unilaterally “given the situation on the ground,” adding, “We cannot wait, so we are taking this national decision.” France has not yet specified the details of the ban or its implementation date, while the source emphasized that the measure “does not constitute a boycott of Israel.”

For his part, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced that the UK would impose a ban on importing goods from Israeli settlements in the West Bank, alongside a comprehensive sanctions regime. Speaking before the House of Commons, Lammy said the British disagreement is not with the Israeli people, but with “the behavior of its government,” announcing that the UK would begin “a new approach to dealing with injustice.” He added that Israeli settlements “are illegal and must not be promoted” in Britain, clarifying that London would impose sanctions on companies and individuals providing construction services and financing that contribute to settlement expansion.

Lammy accused the Israeli government of turning a blind eye to “ethnic cleansing” carried out by settlers in the West Bank, stating that the British government acknowledges that ethnic cleansing is taking place in the region.

The announcement comes amid growing frustration among some European countries that sought to take action at the European Union level but failed to muster the required majority, facing notable opposition from Germany. The twelve countries stated that settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law, and that Israeli policies associated with them undermine the prospects of achieving a two-state solution.

France-Israel relations have been strained in recent months, particularly after Paris led efforts at the United Nations to recognize a Palestinian state.