In a crowded session at the British Parliament on Tuesday, Members of Parliament convened to witness the government’s recalibration of ties with Israel. Prime Minister Andy Burnham, flanked by his cabinet members, attentively listened as the recently appointed Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, who is of Jewish descent, declared a prohibition on trade with settlers from the occupied West Bank. Miliband also mentioned that Canada and France were poised to implement similar measures.
The announcement was met with resounding cheers in the parliamentary hall, with Miliband highlighting that France and Canada would join the U.K. in banning the import of goods from illegal settlements. He pointed out that several other countries, including the Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium, Spain, and Norway, have either implemented bans or are in the process of doing so, with additional nations such as Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Poland, Portugal, and Sweden pledging their support for further actions.
Miliband outlined that the U.K. would take steps against specific companies and individuals involved in facilitating services like construction, infrastructure, financing, or real estate for settlement expansion. Emphatically, he stated that those implicated would face the full brunt of U.K. sanctions.
The decision to act now was motivated by Israel’s recent move to announce tenders for the construction of 1,200 settler homes in the E1 region of the occupied West Bank, which was seen as a crossing of a “long-term red line.” The settlements are considered illegal by the United Nations and most countries, citing Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention pertaining to military occupations, a stance rejected by Israel, which views the area as disputed rather than occupied.
Furthermore, the joint statement issued by Prime Minister Mark Carney, alongside his British and French counterparts, emphasized their unwavering commitment to Israel’s security while advocating for a safe coexistence between Israel and Palestine. The leaders underscored the importance of upholding a two-state solution for achieving peace, stability, and security in the Middle East and beyond.
The move to impose sanctions was justified by the systematic expansion of settlements in the West Bank, including Israel’s recent decision on the E1 settlement, coupled with the surge in settler violence, which posed a direct threat to the peace envisioned for the region. Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, in alignment with foreign ministers from the U.K., France, and other European nations, reaffirmed their collective resolve to safeguard the two-state solution.
In response to the sanctions, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar denounced his British counterpart for spreading what he termed as “outrageous lies” and retaliated by ordering the immediate closure of the U.K.’s consulate in East Jerusalem. Additionally, Israel announced the expulsion of U.K. representatives from a joint military monitoring center in Gaza and terminated U.K. training of the Palestinian Authority’s security forces in the West Bank. Israel also decided to bar entry for 12 elected U.K. officials and other British individuals allegedly involved in anti-Israel activities.
Jewish leaders in Canada and Britain condemned the actions taken by the U.K., Canada, France, and other European countries. Noah Shack from the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs criticized the Canadian government’s decision, branding it as a move driven by domestic political considerations. The reaction from the U.K.’s chief rabbi and the Board of Deputies of British Jews highlighted concerns about communal security, particularly as the Jewish New Year approached.
The official Palestinian news agency welcomed the stance of the countries involved in the sanctions, denouncing the escalation of Israeli settlements as a blatant violation of international law. The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, refrained from commenting on the joint action taken by the countries, affirming that the U.S. would not replicate the U.K.’s measures.
The shift in the U.K.’s stance towards Israel had been foreshadowed in Burnham’s earlier statements before assuming office, where he acknowledged the need for a reevaluation of the Labour Party’s response to Israel’s military actions in Gaza, signaling a commitment to chart a different course under his leadership.