A man walks past placards during an anti-Israel demonstration outside the Houses of Parliament in London. (AFP Photo)
European countries are moving toward prison sentences that could be as long as 10 years for individuals and companies involved in trade with Israeli illegal settlements built on occupied Palestinian land, Israeli media has reported.
Norway is preparing a legal framework to boycott settlement products, including prison sentences of up to three years for individuals or companies dealing with them, reports said on Sept. 14.
A channel quoted Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide as saying he expected his country’s parliament to approve the draft law in its current form.
“Yes, I really think so, and the arguments have become stronger as the situation in the West Bank has worsened,” Eide said in response to a question on the issue.
“There are many other countries that will do the same thing that the government has already proposed through this law,” he added.
According to the reports, the Netherlands is also working on a similar law, under which the penalty could be as long as six years in prison.
A Dutch decision banning the import, purchase or sale of goods from illegal settlements is expected to take effect on Sept. 22, it said.
The media said that in Britain, the penalty for commercial dealings with settlements could reach up to 10 years in prison.
The moves come after 12 Western countries announced last week their intention to impose restrictions on trade with Israeli settlements.
The countries are France, Britain, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.
These 12 countries called on Israel to immediately halt settlement expansion and violence by occupiers.
