WASHINGTON — The UK, France and Canada are halting trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank, claiming they are “undermining the possibility of a two-state solution.”
In a Tuesday statement, the three nations said they would back restrictions on trade with the settlements and support “national measures” to do so.
UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband also noted the ban would be enforced for up to nine months and went so far as to say Israeli settler “terrorists” are carrying out an “ethnic cleansing” of Palestinians.
“We’re witnessing unprecedented settler terrorism in the West Bank,” Miliband said in a video statement, accusing the Jewish state of carrying out “ethnic cleansing of Palestinians” in the region.
“We’re banning the import of goods from illegal settlements,” he added. “We’re taking action on services to target those who finance, facilitate or construct new settlements. And we’re banning advertising of settlement properties and land.”
In August, Israeli officials approved a plan to allow the construction of around 1,200 settlement homes in the West Bank. Human rights groups have issued reports showing an increase in the displacement of Palestinian communities there in recent years.
The foreign ministers of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden also joined the statement, which read: “We firmly oppose actions tantamount to the annexation of Palestinian land and forcible displacement of the Palestinian population.”
“The Government of Israel must immediately halt the expansion of settlements and civilian administrative powers, ensure accountability for settler violence, and investigate allegations against Israeli forces,” the statement read.
“We recognize Israel’s legitimate security interests and reiterate our condemnation of the Hamas 7 October terrorist attack, the worst antisemitic massacre since the Holocaust. We are clear in our determination to tackle antisemitism wherever it occurs.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US does not agree with the UK’s trade sanctions.
“We don’t want to see anything destabilizing going on right now in the West Bank with so much going on in the region,” Rubio said. “We think it has implications as well on our ability to make progress with regards to Gaza and the 20-point plan and the border peace that we’re very committed to.
“Obviously, we’re not going to do what the UK did. We saw their announcement today, but I don’t have any comment on it right now,” he added.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said days before the ban that it would be “a grave miscalculation” and “a decision that will fall on the wrong side of history.”
“In the current context, it would be a gross interference in the democratic elections of a sovereign nation. And it will serve no one,” Herzog added. The Jewish state currently has an election scheduled for Oct. 27.
“It will directly harm, unfortunately, Palestinians, robbing them of business and employment. And, ultimately, it will undermine the interests and national security of freedom-loving nations.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar also cautioned before the announcement that “if Britain acts against Israel, Israel will act against Britain.”
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee warned the UK before the announcement too that the adoption of such a trade posture would threaten commerce with several American states that have passed anti-Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions legislation like Florida.
“It’s probably going to have a very negative effect that does not meet whatever goal … that the Brits have,” Huckabee said, adding that “without a doubt” it would prompt a US response.
The move by the UK follows a decision last year under former British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to recognize Palestine as a United Nations member state, in another effort to move toward a two-state solution.
“You could make the case that you’re rewarding Hamas if you do that,” Trump told reporters at the time Starmer announced the UK was preparing to make the declaration. “I’m not about to do that.”
Emily Goodin contributed reporting.
