UK, France, Canada to ban imports from Israeli settlements

Britain, France, and Canada announced on Tuesday that they will ban imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, accusing Israel of contributing to the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in the region. British Foreign Minister Ed Miliband stated that the Israeli government has turned a blind eye to the forced displacement of Palestinians and has supported such actions.

The three Western nations joined nine others in issuing a joint statement to introduce or support restrictions on trade with the Israeli settlements. In response, Israel closed its consulate in Jerusalem and barred 12 British citizens, including Labour Party lawmakers, from entering the country. They also threatened to expel British diplomats monitoring a US-brokered ceasefire plan in Gaza and block British training for Palestinian Authority forces.

The settlements primarily produce agricultural goods, wine, Dead Sea cosmetics, and industrial products, with limited trade between the UK and the occupied Palestinian territories. Ireland and Spain have already taken similar measures, and France has long advocated for a ban on trade with Israeli settlements, but has faced opposition from some EU members.

The joint foreign ministers statement emphasized that the level of settler violence and settlement expansion in the West Bank threatened the prospects for a two-state solution to the conflict.