UK, France and Canada Ban Imports from Israeli Settlements; Israel Retaliates

The UK, France and Canada have announced bans on imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, with Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Norway, Spain and Sweden among others backing similar measures. Twelve countries said in a joint statement that settlement expansion and settler violence are severely undermining prospects for a two-state solution. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy…
(correction: the article names Ed Miliband as UK Foreign Secretary) — Ed Miliband announced further sanctions on companies facilitating settlements, with activity in the E1 settlement zone specifically targeted. France cited the “rapid expansion” of settlements, while Canada’s Foreign Minister Anita Anand said illegal settlements undermine the two-state goal. The economic impact is expected to be limited, since settlement exports — mainly dates, citrus, herbs and wine — form a tiny fraction of Israel’s overall trade, but the coordinated move signals mounting diplomatic pressure.
Israel retaliated swiftly. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced on September 8 that Israel would close the British consulate in East Jerusalem, exclude the UK from the US-led Gaza liaison mission, end British training of Palestinian Authority forces in the West Bank, and bar entry to certain British figures. Sa’ar dismissed Miliband’s criticism as interference in Israel’s internal affairs ahead of elections expected in late October, saying the response was coordinated with PM Benjamin Netanyahu. The US declined to support the move — Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned such sanctions could increase instability in the West Bank, and Washington refused to restrict imports from the settlements itself. The EU’s 27 members failed to agree on a bloc-wide ban due to opposition from Germany and others, prompting individual countries to act nationally instead.