The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has warned against domestic investments with illegal Israeli settlements, following suit with Germany, the UK, France and Italy.The Palestinian News Network (PNN) reports that the Ministry said, according to a recent press release, that it welcomed the warnings issued in recent days by the Netherlands, UK, France, Germany and Italy, to their citizens, against doing business with illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which include East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights:
“This step is consistent with the European Union’s long-standing position that Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory are illegal under international law. It is also in conformity with States obligations under International law, United Nations resolutions and the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion on the wall, not to render aid to illegal action undermining the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination, who’s realization is a responsibility erga omnes (of concern to all),” said the release.
“It is also in line with the recommendations of the UN Human Rights Council’s 2013 fact finding mission report on Israeli settlements.”
In March of this year, towards the tail end of the failed U.S.-brokered peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian government, the Ministry condemned Israel’s announcement that it would be constructing 200 new illegal settlements in occupied East Jerusalem in addition to 2,000 ‘Jewish-only’ housing units in various settlements planned throughout the West Bank.
‘Spain reiterates that all settlement activities are illegitimate, violate international law and constitute an obstacle to reaching a final peace agreement based on the two-state solution,’ the Ministry’s statement said.
The Netanyahu regime made quite clear, in fact, its position on peace with the Palestinians when the Israeli PM, during a recent meeting with young Likud supporters, boasted of his settlement building achievements:
“I was threatened in Washington: ‘not one brick’ [of settlement construction] … after five years, we built a little more than one brick…”
Asked “about peace talks with the Palestinians,” he reportedly replied, “about the – what?” to which he was met with a bout of laughter by his audience.
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has welcomed the recent warnings by European agencies and regards the collective move as a positive step, according to the PNN, as the EU has issued a directive which insists that all future agreements between the EU and Israel must explicitly exclude Israeli colonies in the West Bank or East Jerusalem.
Spain calls on the international community and all other EU member states to take all necessary measures in avoiding the facilitation of illegal settlement activity, saying “Such measures must pave the way for the banning of illegal Israeli settlement products in all EU member states, prohibiting any form of involvement, both direct and indirect, by citizens, groups, corporations and governments in the illegal settlement activity, as well as taking steps against settlers’ groups, notably the terrorist organizations constantly attacking the Palestinian civilian population.”
Furthermore, it calls on all states “to halt all trade with illegal Israeli settlements and ensure that national businesses do not contribute to Israeli violations of international law.”
See related link: French Government Warns Against Business With Settlements
