France, UK and Canada Lead 12-Nation Coalition to Ban West Bank Settlement Goods

POLICY WIRE — Paris, France — France, the United Kingdom, and Canada are leading a coalition of 12 nations that have committed to restricting trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. The group, which also includes Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden, stated on Tuesday that these settlements are illegal under international law.

UK Foreign Minister Ed Miliband announced that Britain would implement an import ban on settlement goods, emphasizing that the government can no longer remain a bystander to the destruction of the two-state solution. Miliband further stated that the UK views the occupation as unlawful and believes ethnic cleansing of Palestinians is occurring in parts of the West Bank.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot confirmed via social media that France intends to terminate commerce with these settlements. Barrot cited the frenzied expansion of outposts and rising violence against Palestinians as primary drivers for the decision, noting that the region is nearing a breaking point.

In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar condemned the British government’s accusations as outrageous lies. As a retaliatory measure, Israel announced the closure of the British consulate in East Jerusalem, the termination of British training for Palestinian Authority forces, and a ban on certain UK officials entering Israel.

The Palestinian Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission reports that approximately 780,000 settlers now reside in 192 settlements and 400 outposts across the West Bank and East Jerusalem. These areas currently encompass 71 percent of Area C and 91 percent of the Jordan Valley.

While the economic impact on the 6-billion-pound annual bilateral trade between the UK and Israel is expected to be minimal, the move marks a significant diplomatic shift. UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese described the UK’s stance as a seismic shift in international policy regarding the occupation.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)