France Calls for EU Ban on Products from Illegal West Bank Settlements

France is demanding an end to the European Union's imports of products originating from Israeli settlements deemed illegal in the West Bank. French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, declared on Monday that France and the EU cannot endorse commercial exchanges that compromise the prospects for peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

Barrot's remarks come just two days after Belgium implemented a veto on imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. This new Belgian regulation systematically denies import authorizations when goods are presumed to originate from these settlements.

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France and the EU "cannot accept" that, through their commercial exchanges, they support activities that compromise the possibility of peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

The French minister also highlighted that Iceland was among the first European nations to recognize the State of Palestine 15 years ago, and France followed suit last year. Speaking alongside his Icelandic counterpart, Thorgerdur Gunnarsdóttir, Barrot affirmed both countries' commitment to pursuing a two-state solution.

Furthermore, Barrot urged the holding of Palestinian elections scheduled for November 28, describing them as an "absolute necessity" to bolster the legitimacy of the Palestinian Parliament and pave the way for presidential elections.

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an absolute necessity