America News Agency

The State of Palestine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said it welcomed the United Kingdom’s decision to ban imports of products from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.

In a statement, the ministry said the UK’s move to begin taking the necessary steps to implement the ban marks a significant shift in its policy toward illegal settlements. Steps by the UK, France and Canada to introduce import bans on products from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank were also announced in a joint statement issued by 12 countries.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates described the UK’s decision as a practical reflection of international law and decisions of international legitimacy, including the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice.

The statement said the State of Palestine appreciates the British government’s decision and the efforts, particularly by the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary, to adopt a clearer stance against settlement policies and the occupation.

The Palestinian administration also said it welcomed the positions of other states that have taken similar steps.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on all states to follow the UK’s example and take clear and concrete measures against the Israeli settlement system.

The ministry called for a ban on the import and marketing of settlement products, an end to trade, investment and service relations linked to settlements, and measures to prevent companies and individuals from contributing to the expansion, financing or support of settlements.

The statement also called for sanctions against settlers and responsible parties involved in violence and attacks against Palestinians, as well as the effective use of existing accountability and investigative mechanisms under international law.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates stressed that the two-state solution cannot be preserved through political statements and positions alone, and that practical measures must instead be implemented to isolate the Israeli settlement system and end impunity.

The ministry said these steps should contribute to ending Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories, ending the settlement system and realizing the Palestinian people’s right to establish an independent and sovereign state based on the borders of June 4, 1967.

The statement said the establishment of an independent State of Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital is necessary to achieve a just and lasting peace in the region.