۱۱ countries in Europe and Canada ban or limit trade with Israeli settlements

🔸 Twelve countries, including the UK, Canada and France, announced on Tuesday, 17 Shahrivar, that they will impose sanctions on trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank, following an increase in attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinian villages.

🔸 The foreign ministers of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden also said in a joint statement that they intend to limit trade with these settlements.

🔸 Ireland and Spain have previously taken measures against trade with Israeli settlements, and France has also been trying for weeks to persuade the European Union—Israel’s most important trading partner—to make a similar decision, but opposition from some members of the union has prevented it.

🔸 In their statement, the 12 foreign ministers said: “The actions of the Israeli government in the West Bank undermine the realization of a two-state solution.”

🔸 Their reference is to a plan under which two countries—one Israeli and one Palestinian—would live side by side in peace. Israeli government officials have opposed such a plan.

🔸 In the statement, the 12 countries warned: “The situation is rapidly worsening, and this is happening amid unprecedented levels of violence by settlers and the expansion of settlements.”

🔸 The foreign ministers of these countries added: “The Israeli government must immediately halt the expansion of settlements and non-military civilian administrative powers, ensure accountability for settler violence, and investigate claims about Israeli forces.”

🔸 The foreign ministers of these 12 countries said they “confirm their intention to apply national restrictions or to support European restrictions on trade in goods with settlements that are unlawful under international law, or are actively reviewing these restrictions and other measures, in accordance with their own national procedures.”

🔸 Read the full report on the Radio Farda website.