Twelve countries, including Spain, move to restrict imports from illegal West Bank settlements

Twelve countries, including Spain and Canada, have announced plans to restrict trade in goods from Israeli settlements in the West Bank that they regard as illegal under international law.

In a joint declaration published in Paris, France, Britain, Canada, Denmark, Spain, Finland, Ireland, Iceland, Norway, Poland, Portugal and Sweden expressed concern over the deteriorating situation in the territory. They said settlement expansion and settler violence were endangering the prospect of a two-state solution.

The initiative was led by French President Emmanuel Macron and British and Canadian Prime Ministers Andy Burnham and Mark Carney. The signatories called Israel’s decision to move ahead with tenders for the E1 settlement project “inadmissible”. They said they would consider national measures or support restrictions at the European level.

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just and lasting

France, Britain and Canada said they would propose national measures to prohibit trade in settlement goods. They also acknowledged steps already taken by Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Norway and Belgium in the same area.

The governments reaffirmed their support for a “just and lasting” peace based on the principles of the New York Declaration adopted a year earlier. They opposed any action that could lead to the annexation of Palestinian territory or the forced displacement of Palestinians. They called on Israel to immediately halt settlement expansion and the extension of civil administrative powers in the West Bank, and urged accountability for violent settlers and investigations into allegations against Israeli forces.

At the same time, the countries recognized Israel’s right to ensure its security and again condemned Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack, calling it the worst antisemitic attack since the Holocaust. They also pledged to continue fighting antisemitism and backed a two-state solution in line with United Nations resolutions.

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inadmissible