In brief
Britain, together with France and Canada, announced sanctions targeting illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank, alleging they fuel the "ethnic cleansing" of Palestinians. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband explained the move as a first step towards a two‑state solution and warned Israel that settlement expansion—particularly in the E1 area—renders a Palestinian state unviable. Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Saar, denounced the sanctions as a lie and announced counter‑actions, including closing the UK consulate in East Jerusalem and banning UK MPs from entering Israel. The sanctions also extend to Iran, Hezbollah and include a ban on advertising illegal settlements in Britain. The British Jewish community and Israeli officials see the move as an unwarranted attack on Israel’s sovereignty. The announcement has drawn support from Palestinian leaders and criticism from the U.S. over potential economic consequences for British businesses.
UK sanctions on West Bank settlements spark Israeli fury
Britain, together with France and Canada, announced sanctions that will govern the sale and use of goods in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said the UK’s policy aims to curb “ethnic cleansing” by settlers and support a two‑state future. He warned that settlement growth in the E1 area east of Jerusalem would make a Palestinian state unviable.
The Israeli foreign minister, Gideon Saar, dismissed the reforms as an “outrageous lie” and announced his own retaliation, including the closure of the UK consulate in East Jerusalem and banning certain UK MPs from entering Israel.
The sanctions extend to individuals and firms providing services to settlements, ban advertising of illegal settlements in Britain, and broaden cuts to Iran and Hezbollah. The UK promised a comprehensive regime to be fully rolled out over six to nine months.
The decision has sparked a heated debate within the Jewish community in the UK and has drawn calls from Palestinian leaders for the sanctions to signal a firm stance against Israel’s colonial strategy. The United States has cautioned about the sanctions’ potential economic impact on British businesses, while Israeli officials argue that the move threatens Israel’s sovereignty.
