GCC chief welcomes 12-nation move to restrict settlement trade
14:29, 09/09/2026, WednesdayU: Update: 14:31, 09/09/2026, Wednesday
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Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi welcomed the decision by 12 European and North American nations to impose trade restrictions on illegal Israeli settlements, describing the measure as an important international stance that strengthens efforts to protect Palestinian rights and preserve their path to statehood.
GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi on Tuesday welcomed a joint decision by 12 European and North American countries to restrict trade with illegal Israeli settlements, calling the move a significant shift from condemnation to concrete action.
GCC hails 'important stance'
In a statement issued by the Riyadh-based bloc, Al-Budaiwi praised the foreign ministers of the UK, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden for their coordinated position. "The move represents an important international stance against Israeli settlement expansion," he said. Al-Budaiwi added that "the shift from condemning settlement activity to taking practical measures against related activities would strengthen international efforts to protect the rights of the Palestinian people," according to the official GCC statement.
European and North American restrictions
The 12 nations announced Tuesday their intention to introduce national restrictions on trade in goods originating from illegal Israeli settlements and to support similar measures at the European level. They expressed concern over the deteriorating situation in the occupied West Bank, citing expanding settlements and violence by Israeli occupiers, and voiced opposition to annexation and the forced displacement of Palestinians. The coordinated announcement marks a departure from previous diplomatic postures that largely confined criticism to verbal condemnations without economic consequences.
Settlement expansion context
Israeli settlement activity has accelerated across the occupied West Bank in recent years, accompanied by increasing attacks against Palestinian residents. The United Nations considers such settlements illegal under international law and has repeatedly warned that continued expansion threatens the viability of a two-state solution. The GCC renewed its call for an independent Palestinian state along the June 4, 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, citing the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant UN resolutions.
