Macron, Bernheim, and Carnie: Settlements Threaten the Two-State Solution
The three leaders said in a joint statement, “The systematic expansion of settlements in the West Bank, including the Israeli government’s recent decision to proceed with the E1 settlement, as well as the significant rise in settler violence, constitutes a direct and urgent threat to this vision of peace.”
In a second joint statement, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom announced their intention to impose national restrictions on trade in goods with settlements that are illegal under international law, or to support the imposition of European restrictions, or that they are seriously considering taking such measures and others, in accordance with their national procedures.
London had previously announced on Tuesday a trade ban on goods manufactured in settlements, in coordination with France and Canada.
“The Israeli government has often turned a blind eye to this situation, and worse still, some of its members have made statements and taken actions aimed at supporting the forced displacement of Palestinians.”
In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio affirmed that the United States does not want to see anything that destabilizes the West Bank, adding that Washington will not follow the lead of Britain, France, and Canada in banning imports from settlements.
In response, Israel announced it would close the British consulate in East Jerusalem accredited to the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, and would bar 12 British figures from entering its territory, including former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, in retaliation for London’s announcement of sanctions on West Bank settlement goods.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar stated that London is no longer permitted to participate in a U.S.-led coordination mission in the Gaza Strip, and that British training of Palestinian Authority forces in the West Bank will be halted.
Tel Aviv published the list of banned individuals, including 11 members of the British Parliament, among them MP Zarah Sultana, who joined Corbyn in breaking away from the ruling Labour Party to form the left-wing “Our Party.”
