UK defends new sanctions on Israeli settlement products amid diplomatic row
Select a version of the text written from a presumed ideological perspective. This is not the original text, but a hypothetical version — how someone with that viewpoint might have phrased it. Tapping the current version again will return to the original or select cleaned version.
Britain announced a ban on imports from Israeli West Bank settlements, defending the move despite Israeli accusations and a demand to close its Jerusalem consulate.
Britain's foreign secretary announced on Tuesday that the United Kingdom will prohibit imports originating from Israeli settlements in the West Bank, stating that the occupation is unlawful. The decision follows Israeli criticism that the UK is acting against its interests and a ban on 12 British lawmakers entering Israel. Israel also reportedly instructed the British consulate in east Jerusalem to shut within 30 days.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called the British claims of "ethnic cleansing" in the West Bank "outrageous lies" and warned that governments challenging Israel would lose influence in the region.
Miliband told the BBC that the sanctions were imposed out of "deep concern" that delaying action would jeopardise prospects for a two-state solution, adding that the UK could not remain passive in the face of what he described as intimidation of Palestinians.
U.S. officials expressed caution about the move. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States had been briefed on the decision and emphasized a desire for stability in the West Bank, noting that the U.S. would not replicate the UK's sanctions.
The British government said the measures reflect its stance on the legality of the settlements and its commitment to a negotiated peace, while Israel maintains that the sanctions undermine bilateral relations.