Italian lawmaker Della Valle said Israel was continuing its actions against Palestinians in Gaza as well as the West Bank and called for tougher measures.
Speaking in a video message showing the Palestinian flag, Della Valle assessed the decision by 12 countries to ban trade with Israeli settlements that seize land in the occupied Palestinian territories. Della Valle said some European Union countries had been forced to take the decision, describing it as a positive but delayed step.
Call to suspend the partnership agreement
Della Valle said more restrictive measures should be imposed on Israel and that the partnership agreement between the European Union and Israel could be suspended. Describing some countries’ decision to impose sanctions on Israel as a first step, the Italian lawmaker also expressed regret that the Italian government had not joined the initiative.
Twelve countries to ban trade with the West Bank
France, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Canada and the United Kingdom announced in a joint statement that they would ban trade with the occupied Palestinian territories. Eight of the countries that issued the statement are members of the European Union.
The joint statement said Israel’s actions in the West Bank were weakening the two-state solution and that the situation was deteriorating. The statement also drew attention to violence caused by Israelis who seize Palestinian land and stressed the need to preserve the two-state solution.
Israel, meanwhile, announced that it had decided to close the United Kingdom’s consulate representing the Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem in response to the commercial sanctions decision.
The European Union does not impose a general import ban on products from Israeli settlements that seize land in the occupied Palestinian territories. While excluding these products from the trade preferences provided under the European Union-Israel Association Agreement, the bloc is considering broader commercial measures.
