The Presidency Welcomes the Joint Statement of the 12 Countries Regarding the Protection of the Two-State Solution and Rejection of Settlement and Annexation

SadaNews - The Palestinian presidency welcomed the joint statement issued by the foreign ministers of France, the United Kingdom, Canada, Denmark, Spain, Finland, Ireland, Iceland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, and Sweden regarding the protection of the two-state solution, and the rejection of settlement, annexation, and the forced displacement of the Palestinian people, as well as banning trade with Israeli settlements. The presidency appreciated these countries' commitment to impose national restrictions on trade in goods with the Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, and to support similar measures at the European level, considering this a significant practical step towards holding the settlement system accountable and embodying the non-recognition of the illegal situation resulting from the occupation. The presidency affirmed that the unacceptable Israeli decision to publish tenders to implement the settlement plan known as (E1), alongside the settlement expansion, the rise of settler terrorism, and the transfer of more authorities in the occupied West Bank, constitutes a blatant violation of international law and international legitimacy resolutions, posing a direct threat to the unity of the Palestinian land, with the aim of entrenching annexation and undermining the possibility of embodying an independent State of Palestine. The presidency called on the countries signing the statement, the European Union, and the entire international community to expedite the transformation of these positions into binding actions, including a ban on dealings and trade with the settlements, imposing sanctions on extremist settlers and the entities supporting them, and holding the Israeli government accountable for its ongoing violations. The presidency also demanded the Israeli government to immediately and fully halt settlement activities, cancel the (E1) plan, stop settler assaults, provide international protection for the Palestinian people, and refrain from all actions aimed at annexing Palestinian land or displacing its inhabitants. The presidency renewed the commitment of the State of Palestine to achieve a just and lasting peace, based on international law and the United Nations resolutions and the New York Declaration, that ensures the end of the Israeli occupation and the embodiment of an independent, sovereign, and viable State of Palestine on the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, to live in security and peace alongside the State of Israel. The Presidency Welcomes the UK Announcement Banning the Import of Settlement Products and Imposing Sanctions on Settlers The Palestinian presidency welcomed the announcement by British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, before the House of Commons, regarding the British government's decision to impose a ban on the import of products from the Israeli settlements established on the land of the occupied State of Palestine, and to impose sanctions on extremist settlers, considering this decision an important step to confront the Israeli colonial settlement system and its violations against our Palestinian people. The presidency appreciated the advanced British position, which reaffirms once again the illegitimacy of the Israeli settlements established on the land of the State of Palestine, and the necessity of taking practical and tangible steps to hold accountable those responsible for the crimes of settlement and the violence of settlers. The presidency confirmed that the decision to ban the import of settlement products, along with the other measures announced by the British government, represents a step in the right direction, in line with international law and international legitimacy resolutions, sending a clear message that the international community will not accept the continuation of settlement, land takeover, and the displacement of our Palestinian people. The presidency stressed the importance of complementing these steps with additional international and binding measures to stop settlement expansion, halt settlers' crimes, and hold perpetrators accountable, including the imposition of sanctions on those responsible for these crimes. The presidency welcomed the British Foreign Secretary's affirmation of the United Kingdom's commitment to the two-state solution and the maintenance of the possibility of establishing a geographically connected and viable Palestinian state, considering that stopping settlements and ending the Israeli occupation are essential conditions for achieving peace and stability in the region. The presidency called on all European countries and friendly nations to emulate the British position and take similar practical measures to halt trade and economic dealings with the settlements and their products, and to impose sanctions on settlers involved in violence against our people, ultimately leading to the end of the Israeli occupation and the embodiment of the independence of the State of Palestine on the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital. The presidency affirmed that the State of Palestine will continue to work with Britain and all countries around the world to protect the rights of our people, implement international legitimacy and international law, end the occupation and settlements, and embody the independent and sovereign State of Palestine.