Jerusalem: Israeli lawmaker Ofer Cassif on Tuesday welcomed new trade restrictions and sanctions targeting Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, saying the measures were necessary to pressure Israel to end its occupation.

According to Anadolu Agency, Cassif, a member of the Israeli Knesset representing the left-wing Hadash-Ta'al coalition, expressed his approval of the sanctions, stating, "I salute the governments that, at last, understood that sanctions are needed to be imposed on Israel to stop state sponsored terror in the occupied West Bank and move toward ending the criminal occupation, which is the common interest of both Palestinians and Israelis." Despite considering the sanctions overdue and insufficient, Cassif acknowledged them as a positive step.

The sanctions, announced by Britain, France, and Canada, involve a ban on imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. A total of 12 countries have backed coordinated action against settlement expansion and settler violence. The UK has also introduced a wider set of measures, including sanctions on individuals involved in settler violence and restrictions on services supporting settlement activity. British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband emphasized the aim of these measures is to oppose settlement expansion and safeguard the prospects of a future Palestinian state.

Miliband further stated that the British government recognizes an "ethnic cleansing of Palestinians" in the West Bank carried out by Israeli "settler terrorists." These coordinated actions reflect rising international concern over Israel's settlement expansion plans, including the E1 settlement project east of Jerusalem, which critics argue could disrupt the territorial continuity needed for a future Palestinian state.

The 12 countries involved-Britain, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden-have reiterated their support for a negotiated two-state solution, warning that settlement expansion and violence jeopardize that possibility.

However, the new measures have faced strong criticism from Israeli officials. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir have called for retaliatory actions against Britain in response to the sanctions.