Key facts
- The UK, France, and Canada have banned trade with Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
- Israel banned 11 British MPs from entering its territories.
- Israel closed its consulate in Jerusalem.
- The International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion in 2024 finding Israel's presence in occupied Palestinian territory unlawful.
- UN Security Council Resolution 242, passed in 1967, emphasized the inadmissibility of acquiring territory by war.
- The Israeli army has killed over 1,200 West Bank Palestinians since October 7, 2023.
Israel has banned 11 British Members of Parliament from entering its territories and closed its consulate in Jerusalem in response to a trade boycott on West Bank settlements announced by the UK, France, and Canada. The boycott targets products from Israeli settlements, a move that has been met with strong condemnation from Israel.
The author argues that the boycott is a selective punishment, unfairly penalizing Jewish settlers while overlooking the actions of the Israeli state and military. The article notes that while European countries and Canada have boycotted settlement products, they continue to import goods from Israel itself. The author criticizes this approach, suggesting that only a comprehensive boycott of the Israeli state would be just.
The boycotting countries cite increasing settler violence and the International Court of Justice's 2024 advisory opinion, which declared Israel's presence in occupied Palestinian territory unlawful. However, the article points out that the illegality of Israeli settlements has been established by UN resolutions for decades, including Resolution 242 from 1967 and Resolution 446 from 1979. The author contends that the violence committed by the Israeli army against Palestinians far exceeds that of the settlers, yet the army's actions have not prompted similar boycotts.
The piece also delves into historical claims, referencing early Israeli leaders like David Ben-Gurion and biblical justifications for settlement. It highlights that the Israeli army and settlers have been involved in expulsions and violence against Palestinians since 1948. The author concludes that the current boycott will have no economic impact on Israel and urges for punitive measures against the state rather than its settlers.