France, the UK, Canada, Denmark, Spain, Finland, Ireland, Iceland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, and Sweden issued a joint statement Tuesday announcing national bans on trade in goods originating from Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria, which they termed 'illegal settlements,' according to a report. The coordinated move marks one of the broadest Western trade actions against Israeli activity beyond the Green Line.
This Tuesday (13:57 Jerusalem), 12 countries — France, the United Kingdom, Canada, Denmark, Spain, Finland, Ireland, Iceland, Norway, Poland, Portugal and Sweden — issued a joint statement announcing national bans on trade with Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria, which they termed 'illegal settlements.' The coordinated move is one of the broadest Western trade actions against Israeli activity beyond the Green Line.
The development follows a prior announcement today by UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, who declared an import ban on goods from Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, alongside sanctions targeting companies and individuals providing construction, infrastructure, finance and real estate services to the communities. Nine other European nations then announced their joining, as first reported by ynet and later confirmed by N12's Asaf Rozentzweig. The coalition has now expanded to its current 12-country composition.
This trade action aligns with recent statements by UK officials reported by The Zioneer, including Miliband's comments on settlement policy and Labour leader Andy Burnham's support for trade restrictions. It also follows earlier calls from Yesha Council chairman Israel Gantz to dismantle the Palestinian Authority in response to such sanctions, as The Zioneer reported in June.
The joint statement does not specify implementation timelines or the scope of the bans. No official Israeli government response has been published as of early evening (17:05 Jerusalem). The report has been confirmed by multiple news outlets, but the exact details of the national measures are still emerging.
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