France Bans Trade with Israeli Settlements

France will ban products from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot announced on Tuesday, citing growing violence by extremist settlers and the expansion of settlements, which undermine prospects for a two-state solution.

France plans to end trade with the settlements alongside 11 other countries. The United Kingdom also announced a ban on trade in these goods on Tuesday, in coordination with France and Canada.

The move follows unsuccessful efforts to secure an EU-wide decision, with the proposal facing resistance from Germany. A French diplomatic source emphasized that the measure is a national decision taken as part of a joint initiative with the United Kingdom and does not constitute a boycott of Israel as a whole.

The Paris-based source added that accelerated settlement construction and escalating violence pose a serious risk of destabilizing the entire region, describing measures taken so far to address the situation as insufficient.

The British decision provoked a sharp reaction from Israel, with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich calling for the expulsion of the British ambassador.

(Reuters, max)