Oxfam calls on UK to extend settlement trade ban
Oxfam calls on UK to extend settlement trade ban Oxfam has welcomed the UK's announced ban on trade with illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, but has called on the government to go further. "A ban on settlement trade is a significant and welcome step towards respecting international law and supporting Palestinian rights. The ban remains one of the key actions the UK must take to…
Oxfam has applauded the UK's decision to prohibit trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank, but urges the government to take more substantial steps. Oxfam's Chief Influencing Officer, Jean McLean, states that this ban is a crucial measure to uphold international law and advance Palestinian rights. McLean emphasizes that the ban is one of the essential actions the UK must undertake to adhere to its legal obligations and implement the International Court of Justice Advisory opinion.
She highlights that UK-settlement trade is exacerbating human rights abuses and strengthening Israel's unlawful occupation of Palestinian territory. Furthermore, McLean points out that Israel's state-led violence is intensifying, with British-made arms components contributing to the ongoing genocide in Gaza, resulting in the deaths and injuries of civilians.
Oxfam demands that the UK extends the ban to encompass all services and investment in illegal Israeli settlements, immediately cease all arms sales to Israel if they could be utilized to breach international law, and leverage all available diplomatic and economic instruments to advocate for the cessation of the unlawful occupation and bolster Palestinian self-determination.
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