France will move to restrict imports of goods from Israeli settlements in the West Bank, joining 11 other countries backing or considering similar measures, Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on Tuesday.
Barrot said France intended to introduce national restrictions on trade with Israeli settlements or support European measures, alongside Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK.
“Why are we doing this?” Barrot wrote on X. He pointed to what he described as rapid settlement expansion, increased violence against Palestinians and attacks that have themselves been condemned by Israeli authorities.
The announcement comes amid frustration among European countries over the EU's failure to agree collective measures on trade with Israeli settlements.
A French diplomatic source said Paris had decided to act nationally because “we can't wait” given the situation on the ground.
The foreign ministers of the 12 countries said in a joint statement that Israel's actions in the West Bank were threatening prospects for a two-state solution.
“The Government of Israel's actions in the West Bank are undermining the possibility of a two-state solution,” the statement said.
Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK said they intended to introduce national restrictions, support European restrictions on trade in settlement goods, or were actively considering those and other measures.
The exact details of France's restrictions, including when they could take effect, have yet to be finalised. French officials stressed that the measure would target settlement products rather than constitute a broader boycott of Israel.
France said the expansion of Israeli settlements was making it increasingly difficult to establish a viable Palestinian state. Officials also pointed to Israel’s plans for development in the E1 area, describing them as a red line for France and much of the international community.
The French diplomatic source criticised rising violence by Israeli settlers, saying it was “unacceptable” and posed a growing threat to regional stability.
France’s relationship with Israel has deteriorated in recent months, particularly after Paris backed international efforts to recognise a Palestinian state.
The future of the Caspian Sea is in focus at Baku Climate Action Week, with experts examining how the region can adapt to a changing climate while ...
Operations at several energy facilities in Saudi Arabia were suspended on Tuesday after attacks by Iran-aligned Houthi forces injured more than 70 ...
France will move to restrict imports of goods from Israeli settlements in the West Bank, joining 11 other countries backing or considering similar ...
At least five people were killed and five others injured when an Amazon Prime Air cargo plane overran a runway and crashed while landing at Miami International Airport on Sunday, 6 September, local officials said.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday that the United States must recognise that the “rules of the game” in its war against Iran had changed “before it is too late”, a day after Washington struck several Iranian tankers in the Gulf.
U.S. special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff have held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Sunday on efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
A TV channel was struck during a live broadcast on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as Russian strikes on Kyiv killed at least three people, the city's Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Meanwhile, drones hit civilian infrastructure in Russia's southwestern Saratov region.
Indonesia has reopened Jakarta's main airport and four others after volcanic ash from Mount Anak Krakatau forced widespread flight cancellations, though fresh eruptions have kept authorities on alert.
A TV channel was struck during a live broadcast on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as Russian strikes on Kyiv killed at least three people, the city's Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Meanwhile, drones hit civilian infrastructure in Russia's southwestern Saratov region.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Monday a €200 million ($232 million) deal with Greenland, called the Global Gateway Partnership Package, aimed at strengthening the EU-Greenland partnership, amid growing U.S. interest in the Arctic island.
Britain is set to ban trade in goods and some services from Israeli settlements in the West Bank as the government steps up efforts to protect the prospects of a two-state solution.
Female employees at the Eiffel Tower were asked to leave their workstations and step out of sight during a private visit by a Hindu religious delegation, prompting a staff protest and an investigation by Paris authorities.
Fresh off President Xi Jinping's state visit to Kyrgyzstan, project officials have announced the successful drilling of a key tunnel along the long-stalled China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan (CKU) railway, making it the first construction milestone for a flagship Belt and Road project.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment