Canada, U.K., France to ban trade of goods from Israeli settlements in occupied West Bank

Britain, France, and Canada announced Tuesday they will prohibit imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband accused Israel of ignoring the "ethnic cleansing" of Palestinians in the West Bank, which he said is committed by settler terrorists. The foreign minister stated that Israel's government has frequently turned a blind eye to this and worse, supporting forced displacement of Palestinians.

The Western nations joined nine other European countries in a statement announcing their intention to introduce or support trade restrictions with Israeli settlements. In response, Israel closed Britain's consulate in Jerusalem and banned 12 British citizens from visiting the country, including Labour party politicians. Israel also threatened to expel British diplomats overseeing a US-brokered Gaza ceasefire plan and block training for Palestinian Authority forces.

The settlement-linked trade was estimated at around £38 million in 2025. Ireland and Spain had already taken measures against trade with settlements, and France has been pushing for a similar EU decision but was blocked by some members. The foreign ministers' statement also received signatures from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden.

These nations criticized the "unprecedented levels of settler violence and settlement expansion" in the West Bank. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the United States would not join the new sanctions, as Washington does not wish to destabilize the occupied territory.