12 Countries Including UK, France, and Canada Announce Restrictions on Trade with Israeli Settlements in West Bank

▲ A village in the West Bank Twelve countries, including the United Kingdom, France, and Canada, have decided to introduce or actively pursue sanctions and restrictions on trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian West Bank.The UK Foreign Office announced on the 8th (local time) that the UK, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden have agreed to impose national-level restrictions on trade in goods with settlements—which are considered illegal under international law—introduce or support pan-European measures, or actively consider such actions.In a joint statement, these countries pointed out that the Israeli government's actions in the West Bank are undermining the viability of a two-state solution, and that the situation is rapidly deteriorating due to unprecedented levels of settler violence and settlement expansion, including the promotion of settlements in the E1 area of the West Bank.The UK side noted that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney agreed on the need for measures to prevent further damage.AFP and the BBC reported that Ireland and Spain have already introduced measures to restrict trade with Israeli settlements, and that France is also urging the European Union (EU) to take similar steps.However, some member states within the EU remain opposed to the move.()※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.