In a crowded session at the British Parliament on Tuesday, Members of Parliament gathered to hear the government outline its new approach to relations with Israel. Prime Minister Andy Burnham, accompanied by his cabinet ministers, attentively listened as Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, who assumed office seven weeks ago and is of Jewish descent, announced a prohibition on trade with settlements in the occupied West Bank. Miliband also mentioned that Canada and France would be implementing similar measures. This announcement was met with enthusiastic cheers from the parliamentary chamber.
Miliband disclosed that France and Canada, in addition to the UK, would be prohibiting the import of goods originating from illegal settlements. He highlighted that several other countries, including the Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium, Spain, and Norway, have either already banned such goods or are in the process of doing so. Furthermore, he emphasized that the UK would take action against specific companies and individuals involved in facilitating settlement expansion through services like construction, infrastructure, financing, or real estate.
The decision to impose these sanctions was prompted by Israel’s recent move to open tenders for the construction of 1,200 settler homes in the E1 area of the occupied West Bank, which was viewed as a violation of a longstanding boundary. Miliband stressed that the UK’s actions were a response to Israel’s continuous expansion of settlements in the region, which has been deemed illegal by the United Nations and most countries under the Fourth Geneva Convention.
In a joint statement, Prime Minister Mark Carney, along with his French and British counterparts, reiterated their commitment to Israel’s security while also advocating for a two-state solution for lasting peace and stability in the Middle East and beyond. The leaders expressed concerns over the escalating settler violence and settlement expansion in the West Bank, which they viewed as a direct threat to the peace process.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar denounced the UK’s actions as based on falsehoods and retaliated by ordering the immediate closure of the UK’s consulate in East Jerusalem and other countermeasures, including expelling UK representatives from a joint military center and preventing entry of certain British officials into Israel. Jewish leaders in Canada and Britain criticized the sanctions, with some expressing concerns over potential security implications for the Jewish community.
The official Palestinian news agency welcomed the stance taken by the UK, Canada, France, and other European nations, condemning the Israeli settlement escalation as a violation of international law. Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio refrained from commenting on the joint action but indicated that the U.S. would not be following suit. The UK’s shift in its stance toward Israel was foreshadowed by Burnham’s earlier remarks signaling a change in approach, acknowledging past missteps and emphasizing the need for improved relations with Israel.