Canada to join European ban on Israeli settlement goods amid rising violence

OTTAWA — Ottawa is joining European nations pledging to ban imports of goods produced in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Canada, the United Kingdom, France and other countries are accusing Israel of enabling settler violence and working to expand settlements that are widely understood to be illegal under international law.

In a joint statement, those countries say they “will bring forward national measures to ban trade in settlement goods” and are joining others condemning the Israeli government over the “rapidly deteriorating” situation for Palestinians.

Twelve countries, including Canada, used the statement to describe Israeli actions as “tantamount to the annexation of Palestinian land and forcible displacement of the Palestinian population.”