West Bank & Jerusalem
Australia targets settler violence with measures short of trade ban
Image credit: The Guardian
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Australia will pursue "targeted measures" to deter illegal Israeli settlements and settler violence but will not impose a trade ban on settlement goods, Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong announced, the Guardian reported. Wong said the government would work with international partners to coordinate the response, though she did not specify what those measures would entail.
The decision positions Australia between mounting international pressure to sanction settlement activity and a reluctance to implement broader trade restrictions. Britain has already moved to ban imports of goods produced in Israeli settlements, a step Australia has chosen not to follow. Wong's announcement reflects the government's effort to address concerns about settler violence while maintaining trade relationships with Israel.
