Yesterday I sent a letter to Hamish Falconer MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan, regarding the importation of goods from illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
The full text of the letter is below.
Letter to Hamish Falconer MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan on the importation of goods from illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory
Dear Hamish,
I am writing to you following your response to my question during FCDO questions regarding the
importation of goods from illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
In your response, you stated that these goods do not receive trade preferences. I am concerned that
this is not enough; there must be a full ban on the import of goods from illegal Israeli settlements.
The UK government has called on Israel to cease its illegal settlement expansion, yet it has taken
no tangible action to hold Israel accountable for breaching international law. By continuing to allow
the import of settlement goods, the UK is, in effect, facilitating and legitimising a war crime and
Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian territory.
The International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) advisory opinion of 19 July 2024 clearly stated that
Israel’s occupation of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is unlawful,
alongside the associated settlement regime, annexation, and exploitation of natural resources.
Furthermore, the ICJ concluded that in seeking “to acquire sovereignty over an occupied territory,”
Israel is violating the prohibition on the use of force under Article 2(4) of the UN Charter.
The ICJ directed third states not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by
Israel’s illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. This includes abstaining from
economic or trade dealings concerning the Occupied Palestinian Territory and taking proactive steps
to prevent trade or investment relations that contribute to the maintenance of the illegal situation.
Moreover, UN General Assembly Resolution ES-10/24, which implements the ICJ’s Advisory
Opinion, explicitly directs states to “take steps towards ceasing the importation of any products
originating in the Israeli settlements.” The legal basis for banning the import of settlement goods is
therefore robust. What is your assessment of whether the UK is in breach of its international
obligations for failing to do so?
Numerous civil society organisations, activists and public figures—here in the UK and in Israel—
have called for an end to the importation of these products. Just last week I met with Israeli and
Palestinian campaigners who emphasised the importance of the UK taking action on this specific
issue. It is imperative that the UK aligns its actions with its stated commitments to international law
and human rights. By banning settlement goods, the UK would send a clear message that it does not
condone the illegal occupation or the accompanying human rights abuses.
I urge the government to act decisively on this matter and to uphold the UK’s obligations under
international law and I should be grateful for your response to this letter.
Yours sincerely,
Ellie Chowns MP, North Herefordshire.
250402 Hamish Falconer MP re Importation of Goods from Israeli Settlements