LONDON: Britain has announced plans to prohibit imports and other trade involving goods produced in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, marking a significant toughening of London’s policy towards settlement expansion.
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said the measures were intended to reinforce British support for a two-state solution amid mounting concern that continuing Israeli settlement construction could make the creation of a viable Palestinian state increasingly difficult. France has also announced plans to prohibit products from Israeli settlements, while several other countries have taken related measures this year.
Particular concern surrounds Israel’s E1 settlement project near Jerusalem, which critics say could divide Palestinian areas of the West Bank and undermine territorial continuity for a future Palestinian state. Most governments and UN bodies regard Israeli settlements in occupied territory as contrary to international law; Israel disputes that interpretation and says Jews have historic claims to the territory.
The British decision has provoked a furious reaction from Israeli officials. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for the British ambassador to be expelled, while President Isaac Herzog accused Britain of interfering in Israel’s forthcoming election. The United States has also criticised the measure.
Economically, the direct impact is expected to be relatively small because settlement products account for only a tiny share of UK-Israel trade. Politically, however, the step represents another indication of growing international pressure over settlement expansion and violence in the West Bank.