New york: The UN characterized the UK's decision to impose trade restrictions on imports from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank as a 'bilateral issue' between London and Israel. This statement was made on Tuesday, highlighting the UN's stance on the matter.

According to Anadolu Agency, when questioned about UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's viewpoint on the UK's announcement, spokesman Stephane Dujarric underscored that the move was a sovereign decision by the UK. Dujarric stated, "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 further clarified when asked whether the purchase of products from these settlements was linked to their illegality. He differentiated the issues, explaining, "There's the illegality of the settlements, the issue of trade between Israel and the United Kingdom is an issue, is a bilateral issue."

This development comes amid announcements from 11 European countries and Canada, who plan to impose national restrictions on trade with the settlements or to support European-level restrictions. The countries involved, including France, Denmark, Spain, Finland, Ireland, Iceland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, and Sweden, have expressed concerns over the rapidly deteriorating situation in the West Bank, attributing it to unprecedented levels of settler violence and expansion.

The nations collectively opposed any actions that could lead to the annexation of Palestinian land or the forced displacement of Palestinian populations. They also called upon Israel to halt settlement expansion and civilian administrative powers, demanding accountability for settlers involved in violence and investigations into incidents involving Israeli forces.