[Palestine welcomes 12 countries’ plan to restrict trade in goods from Israeli settlements] September 9th, the Palestinian Presidential Palace said on the 8th that it welcomes the joint statement by the foreign ministers of 12 countries including France, the United Kingdom, and Canada on plans to restrict trade in goods from Israeli settlements in the West Bank. According to the Palestinian News Agency, the Palestinian Presidential Palace issued a statement saying that this move is an important step in holding accountable settlement activities and reflects support for similar measures at the European level. The statement called on the 12 relevant countries, the EU and the international community to translate relevant positions into binding measures, including banning trade with settlements, imposing sanctions on extremist settlers and their supporters, and holding the Israeli government accountable. The statement urges the Israeli government to immediately stop settlement activities, cancel the "E1 Area" settlement project bidding, stop settler attacks, etc., and at the same time put an end to any move aimed at annexing Palestinian territory or expelling Palestinians. The statement reaffirmed Palestine’s commitment to a just and lasting peace based on international law and United Nations resolutions, including an end to the Israeli occupation and the establishment of a sovereign, independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital. Earlier on the 8th, the foreign ministers of Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement stating that they planned to restrict the trade of goods with Israeli settlements in the West Bank and urged the Israeli government to immediately stop the expansion of settlements. (CCTV News)