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The United Kingdom has announced new sanctions targeting the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband made the announcement in Parliament on Tuesday.
Miliband said Britain would ban imports of goods produced in Israeli settlements in the West Bank and introduce a broader sanctions regime against individuals and entities involved in settlement expansion.
Addressing the House of Commons, he said Britain could no longer simply express concern or condemn the injustice caused by settlement expansion and the resulting humanitarian crisis.
“It is now time for the UK to act,” he said, adding that Britain would no longer remain a “silent bystander” as suffering increases and the prospects for a two-state solution are undermined.
Miliband also reiterated Britain’s long-standing support for a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine, which Israel has opposed.
US Criticism
The United States criticised the British decision, with the US ambassador to Israel opposing the planned measures. Two Israeli ministers also called for retaliatory action against Britain.
Miliband, who became foreign secretary in July, said the UK considers Israel’s occupation of the West Bank illegal. He also reiterated the British government’s position that ethnic cleansing of Palestinians is taking place in parts of the West Bank.
The new sanctions are unlikely to have a major impact on bilateral trade. The UK and Israel conduct around £6 billion ($8.12 billion) in trade annually.
However, it remains unclear how Britain will distinguish between goods produced in Israeli settlements in the West Bank and those made in other parts of Israel. Details on how the new import ban will be implemented have yet to be clarified.
