UK, France and Canada call Israeli settlements a direct threat to peace

A joint communiqué from the United Kingdom, France and Canada described the ongoing expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank as a direct and urgent danger to the envisioned two-state solution. President Emmanuel Macron, Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Prime Minister Mark Carney said the move marks a turning point in their approach to safeguarding a viable Israeli-Palestinian peace framework. They called for coordinated measures, including prohibiting products originating from settlements and imposing specific sanctions against illegal settlement activity under international law.

The statement also reiterated a desire for close cooperation with Israel and affirmed enduring support for the Israeli people and security. Earlier, foreign ministers from twelve countries, including the three above, announced plans to restrict trade in settlement-origin goods and to back European initiatives aimed at curbing settlement expansion.