In a crowded British Parliament session on Tuesday, Members of Parliament convened to witness the government recalibrate its ties with Israel. Prime Minister Andy Burnham, in office for seven weeks, attentively listened alongside his cabinet members as newly appointed Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, who is of Jewish descent, announced a prohibition on trade with settlers in the occupied West Bank. Miliband mentioned that Canada and France would also implement similar measures. He declared that France and Canada, in conjunction with Britain, were taking steps to prohibit the import of products from illegal settlements.
Amid resounding cheers in the parliamentary hall, Miliband highlighted that these three nations were not alone in addressing Israel’s ongoing expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank. He stated that several other countries such as the Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium, Spain, and Norway had either enforced bans or were in the process of doing so. Additionally, countries like Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Poland, Portugal, and Sweden pledged to support further actions against settlement activities.
Miliband announced that the UK would impose sanctions against specific companies and individuals involved in providing services like construction, infrastructure, financing, or real estate for settlement expansion. This decision was prompted by Israel crossing a “long-term red line,” particularly due to its recent announcement regarding the construction of 1,200 settler homes in the E1 area of the occupied West Bank.
Last September marked a significant moment when Canada, the UK, and France officially recognized the state of Palestine. In a unified statement, Prime Minister Mark Carney, along with his British and French counterparts, emphasized the necessity for additional actions. They reiterated their unwavering commitment to Israel’s security while advocating for a peaceful coexistence between a secure Israel and a secure Palestine through a two-state solution.
The leaders justified the imposition of sanctions by pointing out the detrimental impact of Israel’s systematic settlement expansion and heightened settler violence on the prospects for peace. In response to these developments, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, alongside foreign ministers from the UK, France, and nine other European nations, affirmed their collective resolve to safeguard the two-state solution.
The sharp escalation in reported violence within the occupied West Bank was a key factor influencing the UK’s decision to implement sanctions, as highlighted by Miliband during his address to the parliamentarians. He underscored the government’s agreement on the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians by settler extremists in certain West Bank areas.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar condemned the British government’s actions, labeling them as “outrageous lies,” and announced retaliatory measures, including the immediate closure of the UK’s consulate in East Jerusalem. Additionally, Israel intended to expel UK representatives from a joint military center monitoring the Gaza ceasefire and terminate UK training of the Palestinian Authority’s security forces in the West Bank.
Jewish leaders in Canada and Britain expressed their disapproval of the sanctions imposed by the UK, Canada, France, and other European nations. Notably, Noah Shack, CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs in Canada, criticized the Canadian government’s decision as a move driven by domestic political considerations. The UK’s chief rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis, lamented the situation as a dark day for British Jews, while the Board of Deputies of British Jews voiced concerns about communal security as the Jewish New Year approached.
The official Palestinian news agency welcomed the united stance of these countries against Israeli settlements, labeling the settlement escalation as a blatant violation of international law. In the United States, Secretary of State Marco Rubio refrained from commenting on the joint action while affirming that the U.S. would not replicate the UK’s approach.
The evolution in the UK’s relationship with Israel had been foreshadowed months earlier. Prior to assuming office in July, Prime Minister Burnham signaled a shift by acknowledging and apologizing for the Labour Party’s initial response to Israel’s military actions in Gaza, emphasizing the need for a more nuanced approach under his leadership.
