The key question about the UK’s decision to ban trade in goods and services from illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is whether – and how – such a ban can be enforced. To answer this question, it’s worth looking at how such sanctions are already enforced in similar situations.
Blood diamonds, the precious stones whose proceeds are used to finance war, are often cited as an example of the way countries can avoid trading in commodities that can contribute to harm. But the goods and services involved in the sanctions on West Bank settlements are far less valuable.
