Thank you for contacting me about calls to ban imports from Israeli settlement goods.
The Foreign Office have said that products from settlements are not entitled to benefit from tariff and trade preferences under the UK's trade agreements with the Palestinian Authority and Israel. Moreover, the Government does not encourage or offer support to economic and financial activity in the settlements and it encourages accurate labelling of goods to offer consumers an informed choice over what they purchase.
I would not support a ban on the import of products from Israeli settlements. I do not believe that boycotts are the most effective way to support a credible pathway towards a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine, living side-by-side in peace and security for both nations and the wider region. Boycotts by public bodies can feed community tensions and - in Israel’s case - stoke antisemitism.
I would also urge the Israeli Government to use its legal system to clamp down on settler violence. I support a two-state solution that guarantees security and stability for both the Israeli and Palestinian people.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
