AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The Hebrew network Kan reported on the intensification of measures by several Western countries against trade with Zionist settlements in the West Bank, announcing that Norway, the Netherlands, the UK, Canada, and France have moved toward imposing or implementing trade and criminal restrictions against individuals and companies that trade with Zionist settlement products. These developments come after the joint stance of 12 countries regarding restricting trade with settlements located in the occupied West Bank territories.
Norway on the Path to Criminalizing Trade with Settlements
According to Kan's report, Norwegian authorities are preparing the legal infrastructure for a plan that, if approved, will impose prison sentences for trade with goods produced in Zionist settlements.
According to this report, the law could impose penalties of up to three years in prison for parties involved in trading settlement goods.
Espen Barth Eide, Norway's Foreign Minister, also expressed confidence in the law's approval in parliament and said the arguments supporting this action have been strengthened by the deterioration of the West Bank situation and the increase in violence.
He also claimed that Israel in the past tried to neutralize criticism of its actions and violations of international law by accusing Western countries of "anti-Semitism," but this approach, according to him, no longer has the effect it once did.
The Netherlands; 6-Year Prison Terms and Confiscation of Assets of Violating Companies
In the Netherlands, an executive order is set to take effect from September 22, under which the ban on importing and selling Zionist settlement products will fall within the framework of the country's economic crimes laws.
According to Kan's report, violating these regulations could lead to penalties of up to 6 years in prison, heavy financial fines, and even confiscation of assets of companies involved in trade with settlements.
This action by the Netherlands comes as European countries have shown greater concern about the Zionist regime's settlement expansion, particularly the E1 settlement plan near Jerusalem. Countries supporting these measures believe that settlement expansion could further undermine the possibility of realizing the two-state solution.
The UK; Penalties of Up to 10 Years in Prison
The UK is also among the countries that have intensified their actions against trade with Zionist settlements. According to the Hebrew network's report, London, using existing legal capacities in the field of sanctions and combating money laundering, is seeking to impose a broad ban on trade with settlements.
According to this report, deliberate violation of export or trade restrictions related to settlements can be considered a crime under UK law and carry a penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
The UK government recently announced a ban on the import of goods produced in Zionist settlements in the West Bank and has also imposed restrictions on companies operating in areas such as construction, infrastructure, real estate, and financing of settlements.
Canada and France Also Enter the Fray
Canada, alongside the UK and France, has also begun the process of imposing trade restrictions against Zionist settlements. According to the published report, violating these restrictions in Canada could carry penalties of up to five years in prison.
In France as well, the necessary legal mechanism for implementing the ban on trade with settlement products is being drafted, and penalties of up to five years in prison and fines equivalent to twice the value of smuggled goods have been proposed for violators.
The actions of the UK, France, and Canada are part of a new wave of pressure by Western countries on the Zionist regime's settlement policy. These three countries have stated that the aim of these measures is to confront settlement expansion and settler violence and to support the possibility of realizing the two-state solution.
12 Western Countries Against Trade with Settlements
Kan also considered these developments a continuation of the joint statement by 12 countries, in which the UK, France, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden emphasized support for imposing trade restrictions on Zionist settlement goods.
These countries have announced that they are either drafting national restrictions or supporting the imposition of European restrictions on trade with settlements that are considered illegal under international law.
Sharp Reaction of the Zionist Regime
The new actions of Western countries have faced a sharp reaction from the Zionist regime. In response to the sanctions by the UK, France, and Canada and the support of other countries, Tel Aviv announced, among other things, that it would close the UK consulate in East Jerusalem and imposed restrictions on a number of British officials and nationals.
Meanwhile, Zionist officials have described these actions as interference in Israel's internal affairs, while the sanctioning countries emphasize that the settlement policy and settler violence are a serious obstacle to realizing the two-state solution and regional stability.
The increase in these economic and legal pressures indicates the escalation of disagreement between the Zionist regime and a number of its traditional Western allies regarding the settlement policy in the West Bank; although media assessments indicate that the direct economic impact of these sanctions on Israel's overall trade will be limited, politically and diplomatically it could be a sign of the regime's increasing isolation.
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