12 countries impose sanction on trade from Israeli settlements

PARIS, Sept 8: Twelve countries including Britain, Canada and France Tuesday said they would slap sanctions on trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank, after increasing attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinian villages in the occupied territory.

Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden also plan to limit trade with the settlements, the nations' foreign ministers said in a joint statement.

Ireland and Spain have already taken measures against trade with Israeli settlements, and France has for weeks been pushing for a similar decision from the European Union, Israel's leading trading partner, but has been blocked by some members.

"The government of Israel's actions in the West Bank are undermining the possibility of a two-state solution," the 12 ministers said, referring to a plan under which two states -- one Israeli and one Palestinian --  would live peacefully side by side.

"The situation is rapidly deteriorating amid unprecedented levels of settler violence and settlement expansion," they warned.

"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 ministers added.

The ministers said the 12 countries "confirm their intention to introduce national and/or support European restrictions on trade in goods with settlements which are illegal under international law, or that they are actively considering these and other measures, in accordance with their national procedures."�"AFP