France announces trade ban with Israeli settlements

PARIS, Sept. 10 (YPA) – French Foreign Ministry spokesman Pascal Confavreau announced, on Wednesday, that his country has banned trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories and supports extending the ban across the European Union.

He said during a press conference that the decision came in response to the deteriorating situation in the West Bank and Jerusalem, the escalating land confiscations, and the disregard for international law. He added that the tendering of construction units in the E1 project threatens the unity of the West Bank and the two-state solution.

He emphasized that the ban is in accordance with international law, citing the International Court of Justice’s ruling of July 19, 2014, which stipulated that economic relations supporting the illegal Israeli presence should not be continued.

He also noted that France had already imposed national sanctions by banning the entry of extremist settlers, in addition to previous European sanctions, indicating that his country would work to implement the ban and hoped that the European Commission would put forward a similar proposal.