Portugal is part of a group of 12 countries that announced targeted sanctions against Israeli settlers in the West Bank. This joint decision represents a coordinated position from the international community regarding the situation in that territory.
In a joint statement, the 12 signatory States warn that the situation in the West Bank is "deteriorating rapidly in the face of unprecedented levels of settler violence and settlement expansion." The document expresses serious concern about the escalation of violence and Israeli expansion activities in the region.
The measure comes in a context of growing tensions in the West Bank, territory occupied by Israel since 1967. The sanctions specifically target Israeli settlers involved in acts of violence against Palestinian populations and in settlement expansion activities in the region.
