12 Countries Back Trade Restrictions on Occupied Palestinian Territories

BYYassine Hariss

September 10, 2026

In a rare show of unity, 12 countries have come together to back restrictions on trade with illegal Israeli settlements in occupied Palestine. This week, the group issued a joint declaration outlining plans to introduce restrictions, marking one of the more coordinated attempts yet to turn opposition to Israel’s occupation into economic action.

Coming just weeks before the third gruesome anniversary of the events of Oct. 7—and the devastating war that followed—the agreement arrives at a particularly significant moment, especially considering the stance most of the signatories have taken over the years. Including countries that have historically maintained close ties with the Occupying Forces, the coalition brings together Canada and 11 European countries: France, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden.

“Today, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the UK confirm their intention to introduce national and/or support European restrictions on trade in goods with settlements which are illegal under international law, or that they are actively considering these and other measures, in accordance with their national procedures,” a recent statement shared by the countries’ respective foreign ministers said.

“The Government of Israel’s actions in the West Bank are undermining the possibility of a two-state solution,” it added.

In practice, however, the 12 countries are not all committing to the same thing. The UK has confirmed that it will introduce an import ban on goods from Israeli settlements, with France and Canada also expected to introduce bans of their own. Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Poland, Portugal, and Sweden, meanwhile, have pledged to support further action. The UK is also preparing a wider sanctions regime targeting illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.

How much of an immediate difference these measures will make remains to be seen. What does feel significant, though, is the precedent they could set. For years, many Western governments have maintained that Israeli settlements are illegal under international law while continuing to allow goods produced within them to enter their markets. For at least 12 of them, that contradiction is finally becoming harder to maintain.

12 Countries Back Trade Restrictions on Occupied Palestinian Territories

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