PARIS, France- France will begin the process of banning products originating from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has announced.
Barrot said France would end trade with the settlements alongside 11 other countries that had made similar commitments.
“France is going to put an end to its commerce with Israeli settlements in Palestine, along with 11 other countries which have also undertaken similar engagements,” Barrot said.
He attributed the decision to the rapid expansion of settlements and escalating violence against Palestinians, warning that the situation in the West Bank was approaching a dangerous point.
“Why are we doing this? Because the West Bank is close to exploding,” Barrot said, citing what he described as the “frenzied expansion” of settlements and increased violence by extremist settlers.
France’s announcement was coordinated with the United Kingdom and Canada. Britain has already announced a ban on goods from Israeli settlements and restrictions on companies providing services that support settlement activity.
Other countries supporting restrictions include Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.
French officials said the measures were directed specifically at settlements in occupied Palestinian territory and did not amount to a broader boycott of Israel.
The exact implementation date and operational details of the French ban have not yet been finalised.
France said it had decided to act nationally after European Union members failed to reach the required agreement on bloc-wide measures.
Paris considers Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank illegal under international law and says their continued expansion threatens the viability of a future Palestinian state.
French officials identified Israel’s decision to publish tenders for the E1 settlement project as a red line. The project has drawn international criticism because of concerns that it could split the West Bank and further undermine prospects for a contiguous Palestinian state.
Israel has strongly criticised the coordinated restrictions. Its officials argue that the sanctions could harm both Israeli and Palestinian workers and interfere with the country’s internal affairs.
Barrot said France’s action was intended to protect the prospects of a negotiated two-state solution in which Israel and an independent Palestinian state coexist within secure borders.
