UK government bans goods from Israeli settlements in West Bank in stance toughening
Also reported by AP News
Summary
The U.K. government announced it will ban trade in goods and some services from Israeli settlements in the West Bank. This decision responds to concerns about violence against Palestinians and aims to support efforts for a two-state solution.Key Facts
- The U.K. will ban imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank in 6-9 months.
- The ban includes goods and services like financing, construction, real estate, and advertising related to these settlements.
- Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband called the actions of some settlers “ethnic cleansing” of Palestinians.
- France and Canada plan similar bans, while several European countries support further measures.
- The international community generally considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal and an obstacle to peace.
- Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government supports settlement expansion, seeing the land as historically important to the Jewish people.
- The U.K. has also tightened its arms embargo to restrict weapons sales that help Israel occupy Palestinian territories.
- The U.K. recognized Palestinian statehood last year to encourage renewed peace talks for a two-state solution.
