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Twelve countries, including the U.K., France and Canada, announced Tuesday they would introduce or support restrictions on trade in goods from Israeli illegal settlements in the West Bank, citing "unprecedented levels of settler violence and settlement expansion."
The joint statement was issued by the foreign ministers of Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the U.K., following an agreement between U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham, French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney "on the need to take action to prevent further damage."
"Today, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK 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," the ministers said.
The statement said the U.K., France and Canada "welcome the important action already taken by Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Norway and Belgium and will bring forward national measures to ban trade in settlement goods."
The ministers said the Israeli government's actions in the West Bank are undermining the possibility of a two-state solution.
"The situation is rapidly deteriorating amid unprecedented levels of settler violence and settlement expansion, including the unacceptable decision to publish tenders for the E1 settlement project," the statement said.
"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 statement said the 12 countries "firmly oppose actions tantamount to the annexation of Palestinian land and forcible displacement of the Palestinian population," and pledged to act "in pursuit of a just and lasting peace, based on the principles enshrined in the New York Declaration adopted one year ago."
The statement also reaffirmed recognition of "Israel's legitimate security interests" and reiterated condemnation of the Hamas Oct. 7 attack, calling it "the worst antisemitic massacre since the Holocaust."
The ministers said they remained "unequivocally committed to the two-state solution," in line with relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions, enabling Israel and "a sovereign, democratic and viable Palestinian state to live side by side in peace, security and mutual recognition within secure and internationally recognized borders."
UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, announcing the coalition's statement to the House of Commons, said Britain was "acting in concert with others in a broad international coalition."
"I can tell the House that today France and Canada are announcing alongside Britain that they will also ban the import of goods from illegal settlements, joining the Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium, Spain and Norway," Miliband said, adding that other countries were planning further action.
Miliband said Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Poland, Portugal and Sweden had pledged to support further action as well.
"This is what Britain can achieve, leading with others and this is in our fundamental national interest," Miliband said, closing his remarks by describing "a Britain that upholds its values at home and around the world, a Britain that fights against oppression and suffering wherever it occurs, a Britain that stands up for what is right."
Roughly 750,000 Israeli settlers live in settlements and outposts across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, reports place the total number of settlements and outposts at either 156 settlements and 360 outposts or 516 combined and have carried out near-daily attacks aimed at displacing Palestinians from their land.
U.N. data cited in reporting on the policy shift found settler violence reached "unprecedented levels" in 2026, with more than 1,400 attacks resulting in casualties or property damage documented so far this year.
France has pushed for weeks for a similar decision at the European Union level, Israel's leading trading partner, but has been blocked by some member states.
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