Canada targets illegal Israeli settlements with new sanctions

Canada has introduced new sanctions on illegal Israeli settlers in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, citing their breach of international law and involvement in escalating violence in the West Bank.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly announced that the sanctions, imposed under the Special Economic Measures (Extremist Settler Violence) Regulations, target four individuals and two entities responsible for harassment and violence against Palestinian communities.

These acts include attacks on humanitarian convoys, property dispossession, and the displacement of Palestinians. Joly noted that, “Extremist settler violence against Palestinians and their property is unacceptable and has a significant impact on the lives of Palestinians, undermining prospects for peace. We call on Israeli authorities to ensure the protection of civilians and hold perpetrators of such violence accountable.”

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The Canadian government reaffirmed in its statement that settler attacks have been “a long-standing source of tension and conflict in the region,” undermining Palestinian human rights, the prospects for a two-state solution, and posing risks to regional security.

Repeating its stance against illegal settlements, the government stated, “Canada continues to oppose the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem and is committed to a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in the Middle East.”