Canada warns its companies of risks of dealing with settlements

Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand warned Canadian companies of the legal, financial, and reputational risks arising from business activities linked to Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. Anand stated that the Canadian government advises companies not to engage in any activities that directly or indirectly support or facilitate Israeli settlements or related violence. She affirmed that Canada's "long-standing" position considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem illegal under international law, calling on Canadian companies to avoid any economic or financial activities associated with them. The warning comes as Canada tightens its stance on settlement activity and settler violence; in June, Canada imposed a new package of sanctions on individuals and entities it said contribute to supporting or funding violent acts committed by extremist settlers against Palestinians and their property. The Canadian government emphasizes that Israeli settlements in the occupied territories constitute a violation of international law, and that continued settlement expansion undermines prospects for a just and lasting peace and a two-state solution.