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🇿🇦 South Africa /Economy & Trade

UK to sanction Israeli West Bank settlements in support of two-state solution

From Daily Maverick · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Newswire Named sources New plan
  • Britain plans to restrict trade in goods produced in Israeli settlements in the West Bank, in a move officials framed as support for a two-state solution.
  • The restrictions are expected to have limited impact on the £6 billion in annual UK-Israel trade, although enforcement details remain unclear.
  • The decision follows criticism of Israel’s E1 settlement plans and growing strain in UK-Israel relations over Gaza, settlements and settler attacks.

Britain is preparing to ban trade in goods made in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, presenting the move as a step up in support for a two-state solution.

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband is expected to announce the restrictions later Tuesday. The measure is likely to have little effect on the £6 billion in annual bilateral trade, but the details of how Britain will distinguish settlement goods from products made in Israel remain unclear. Settlement goods are mainly agricultural products, including fresh produce and wine, and represent only a small share of Israel’s overall trade.

The importance of the two-state solution

· Andy BurnhamThe British prime minister stressed this principle during a call with Donald Trump about the Middle East.

The immediate issue is Israel’s planned E1 settlement project in the West Bank. Miliband and other Western politicians say the project would cut across land Palestinians seek for their own state. Britain and most governments, as well as United Nations bodies, consider Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal and regard the territory as occupied. Israel rejects that position, calling the territory disputed and asserting a historical Jewish claim to the land.

The reason that danger has become more urgent is because of expanded settlement activity in recent weeks and months.

· Pat McFaddenThe minister explained why Britain was moving ahead with restrictions on settlement goods.

Work and Pensions Minister Pat McFadden said expanded settlement activity had made the danger more urgent. Prime Minister Andy Burnham discussed the Middle East with US President Donald Trump on Monday and stressed the importance of a two-state solution, according to Burnham’s office.

The United States is expected to oppose Britain’s intervention, while Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for the British ambassador to be expelled. Israel’s prime minister and foreign ministry did not immediately comment. Spain, Ireland and the Netherlands have also moved to restrict settlement goods, although not all of their measures are in force. British officials said Israel would remain an important trading partner and that the policy would not amount to a boycott of all Israeli goods. Enforcement could prove difficult where Israeli products contain settlement materials without identifying their origin.

Easier politically

· Andy BurnhamBurnham said it would have been politically easier to leave the existing salary policy unchanged, though this quote was not relevant to the settlement decision.
About this summary

Originally published by Daily Maverick in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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