Norway seeks to ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements in Palestine

Norway’s government says it plans to ban all trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, and has announced consultation on a proposal for a new bill prohibiting such transactions. “The Israeli settlements in Palestine are in breach of international law,” Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide said in a statement on Friday. Recommended Stories list of 4 items end of list “They contribute to displacement, extreme violence and a situation that makes a peaceful solution impossible. We intend to prohibit trade with the unlawful settlements,” he added. The Norwegian government wants to ban trade in goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian lands, including Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Regarding real estate, Oslo also plans to outlaw “the purchase of property in the settlements, the provision of services relating to the construction, renovation, purchase or sale of property in these areas, and the acquisition of commercial enterprises whose head office and production facilities are located in the settlements”, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. “The settlements undermine the basis for a Palestinian state. Norwegian citizens and Norwegian companies must not contribute to maintaining this development. With this legislative proposal, the government takes a clear stance and puts forward rules that set firm limits for Norwegian trade and business activities,” Eide added. …