UK’s trade restrictions on illegal Israeli settlements ‘bilateral issue’: UN

The UN described the UK’s decision to restrict imports from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday as a “bilateral issue” between London and Israel.

Asked whether UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had a reaction to the announcement, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the move was a sovereign decision by the UK.

“I think the secretary general's position and the UN's position on the illegality of settlements in the occupied West Bank is crystal clear, to say the least,” Dujarric told reporters.

Asked whether purchasing products from settlements and the illegality of the settlements were linked, Dujarric distinguished the issues.

“There’s the illegality of the settlements, the issue of trade between Israel and the United Kingdom is an issue, is a bilateral issue,” he said.