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🇬🇧 United Kingdom /Elections & Politics

UN expert Francesca Albanese calls for ‘true paradigm shift’ as Miliband resets policy on Israel

From The Guardian · () English

Summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

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  • UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese welcomed the UK’s planned ban on trade with Israeli settlements but said it must have practical impact.
  • The measure comes as Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband pledges stronger action on settlements and amid continued restrictions on aid entering Gaza.
  • US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee accused Downing Street of being motivated by “Jew hatred,” a claim cited in the dispute over the policy.

The UK’s planned ban on trade with unlawful Israeli settlements is a welcome, if overdue, first step, UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese told the Guardian. But she warned that its value would depend on what it does in practice.

true paradigm shift

· Francesca AlbaneseThe UN special rapporteur said the UK’s planned settlement-trade ban must go further to represent a substantive change in policy.

Albanese said the measure must go further if it is to represent a “true paradigm shift” rather than amount to little more than a “press release.” Her comments came as the British government prepares to reset its policy on Israel.

press release

· Francesca AlbaneseShe warned that the measure would have limited significance if it did not produce practical impact.

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has vowed to act more decisively against Israeli settlements. His plans also come amid continued restrictions on aid entering Gaza.

important

· Francesca AlbaneseShe described a ban on goods from Israeli settlements as an important first step, while saying it was not sufficient.

The policy has drawn criticism from the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, who claimed that Downing Street was motivated by “Jew hatred.”

Jew hatred

· Mike HuckabeeThe US ambassador to Israel accused Downing Street of being motivated by this, in criticism of the UK’s policy direction.
About this summary

Originally published by The Guardian. 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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