On the 8th, foreign ministers from 12 countries including the UK, France and
Canada issued a joint statement proposing restrictions on trade in goods from
Israeli settlements in the West Bank, urged Israel to stop settlement expansion,
hold settlers accountable for violence and investigate allegations against the
Israeli military. Israel’s Haaretz commented Western allies have moved from
verbal criticism to substantive action, calling it the start of a 'sanctions
era' that it said would outlast changes in Israel’s government.
