UK, Canada, France and Norway sanction ‘networks financing and enabling settler attacks’ in West Bank

Britain and the foreign ministers of Canada, France and Norway say they have taken coordinated action with sanctions in response to “record settlement expansion and rising settler violence in West Bank.”

The sanctions are aimed at disrupting the flows of finance that have “allowed extremist settler groups to act with impunity” in the West Bank, a British government statement says, with coordinated sanctions “against networks financing and enabling settler attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank.”

The statement names The Farms Association, Ahavat Gilad, Ari Yshag, Artzenu, Shivat Zion Lerigvey Admata, Eyal Hari Yehuda and Itamar Yehuda Levi.

“Settler expansion and violence is illegal and a fundamental threat to the viability of a two-state solution, and to long-term peace and security for Palestinians and Israelis,” British foreign minister Yvette Cooper is expected to say in parliament later, according to advance excerpts of her remarks.

The UK government says continued settlement expansion undermines the viability of a two-state solution, with record levels of settler violence “designed deliberately to destroy Palestinian homes and livelihoods in the West Bank.”

Britain also repeats its call on the Israeli government to end settlement expansion, clamp down on settler violence, prosecute those responsible, and lift ongoing restrictions on the functioning of the Palestinian economy.

The British government also threatens further action if the situation does not improve.