UK’s trade restrictions on illegal Israeli settlements ‘bilateral issue’: UN

The UN described the UK’s decision to restrict imports from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday as a “bilateral issue” between London and Israel.

Asked whether UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had a reaction to the announcement, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the move was a sovereign decision by the UK.

“I think the secretary general's position and the UN's position on the illegality of settlements in the occupied West Bank is crystal clear, to say the least,” Dujarric told reporters.

Asked whether purchasing products from settlements and the illegality of the settlements were linked, Dujarric distinguished the issues.

“There’s the illegality of the settlements, the issue of trade between Israel and the United Kingdom is an issue, is a bilateral issue,” he said.

The remarks came as 11 European countries and Canada announced plans to impose national restrictions on settlement trade and or support European-level restrictions.

France, the UK, Denmark, Spain, Finland, Ireland, Iceland, Norway, Poland, Portugal and Sweden said the situation in the West Bank is “rapidly deteriorating,” citing unprecedented levels of settler violence and settlement expansion.

The countries firmly opposed any action resulting in the annexation of Palestinian land and the forced displacement of Palestinian populations.

They also urged Israel to immediately halt settlement expansion and civilian administrative powers, while demanding accountability for settlers responsible for violence and investigations into allegations involving Israeli forces.