Oxfam Welcomes Long Overdue Commitment on Illegal Settlements, Urges Ban on Services and Investments
Ottawa, Ontario – September 8, 2026: Oxfam Canada welcomes the commitment made by Canada today – alongside the UK and France – to advance a ban on the importation of goods from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), and enforce targeted measures against settlements and those who facilitate or profit from them.
This announcement is an important and long overdue step from Canada and its partners, as well as a critical next step in Canada’s official recognition of the State of Palestine. For too long, governments have acknowledged the minimum: Israeli settlements in the oPt are illegal under international law, while failing to take meaningful action. It is encouraging to finally see a commitment that moves beyond statements and toward concrete measures.
Oxfam Canada urges the federal government and all states that move forward with trade restrictions, to ensure that they extend beyond goods, to include services, investments, procurement, and all commercial relationships linked to settlements. At a time when settlement expansion, state-backed settler violence and the forcible displacement of Palestinians are accelerating, Canada must, now more than ever, align its policies with international law and the government’s stated commitment to a just and lasting peace.
Meaningful accountability requires comprehensive measures that address all forms of economic support to illegal settlements. This includes economic activities connected to settlements in both the oPt and the occupied Syrian Golan. Only through such comprehensive measures can Canada demonstrate that it is compliant with the International Court of Justice, by using every tool at its disposal to challenge unlawful occupation and support the rights and self-determination of affected populations.
Oxfam Canada would like to acknowledge and thank PM Mark Carney and Foreign Minister Anita Anand for taking action and moving in the right direction. We look forward to working with the government as these measures are advanced.
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Media Contact
For more information or to request an interview: Shireen Salti: Shireen.salti@oxfam.org