Britain, France and Canada to ban imports of goods from Israeli settlements
In London, UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced that the United Kingdom, France and Canada will introduce a ban on trade in goods from Israeli settlements. As Politico Europe reports, the United Kingdom will also ban trade in certain services linked to settlements.
Measures against companies
Speaking in the House of Commons, Miliband said that the United Kingdom would take action against specific companies and individuals that provide services for the expansion of settlements. He listed construction, infrastructure development, financing and real estate transactions among such services.
According to the British minister, London will act jointly with other states as part of a broad international coalition. Miliband confirmed that France and Canada will also ban imports of goods from settlements. This came after last month's condemnation of Israel's plans to build 1,200 new homes in the E1 area east of Jerusalem.
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France's statement and Israel's reaction
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot confirmed the decision in a post on X. According to him, France will halt trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories together with 11 other countries that have made similar commitments.
Barrot said that France cannot support through trade a situation that threatens the security of Israelis and Palestinians. He also said that an initiative for EU-level sanctions against trade with settlements in the West Bank had met resistance in Brussels.
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told the BBC that, in his view, the UK's decision constitutes discrimination against the Jewish people. He also suggested that individual US states, including Florida, could take trade measures against the United Kingdom. Israeli President Isaac Herzog called the introduction of such sanctions a serious mistake, while Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar had previously said that Israel could respond to British restrictions.
