In a crowded British Parliament session on Tuesday, Members of Parliament convened to witness the government’s recalibration of its ties with Israel. Prime Minister Andy Burnham, in the company of his cabinet colleagues, attentively absorbed the announcement made by his newly appointed Foreign Secretary, Ed Miliband, who imposed a prohibition on trade with settlements in the occupied West Bank. Miliband, who is of Jewish descent, disclosed that Canada and France would also implement similar measures. “Today, France and Canada are joining Britain in declaring the ban on importing goods from illegal settlements,” Miliband declared.
The parliamentary chamber resounded with cheers following Miliband’s statement. He highlighted that the three nations were not standing alone in their actions against Israel’s continuous expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank. Miliband mentioned that countries like the Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium, Spain, and Norway had either enforced bans on goods from settlements or were in the process of doing so. Additionally, countries like Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Poland, Portugal, and Sweden committed to supporting further measures.
Miliband emphasized that the UK would also target “specific companies and individuals involved in providing services such as construction, infrastructure, financing, or real estate for settlement growth.” Amidst another round of enthusiastic applause, he warned that those targeted would face severe UK sanctions.
The decision to take action by the UK came in response to Israel crossing a significant threshold, as it recently initiated tenders for constructing 1,200 settler residences in the E1 area of the occupied West Bank. This move was deemed as surpassing a “long-term red line” by Miliband.
September marked a year since Canada, the UK, and France recognized the state of Palestine. In a joint statement, Prime Minister Mark Carney, along with his British and French counterparts, emphasized the need for further action. While affirming their commitment to Israel’s security, they stressed the vision of a safe and secure Israel coexisting with a safe and secure Palestine.
The leaders reiterated their dedication to preserving a two-state solution, describing it as crucial for peace, stability, and security in the Middle East and beyond. They justified the imposition of sanctions due to Israel’s systematic settlement expansion in the West Bank, including the controversial E1 settlement project, and a surge in settler violence posing a direct threat to the peace vision.
Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, in conjunction with foreign ministers from the UK, France, and nine other European countries, issued a resolute statement affirming the need to protect the two-state solution. Anand declared Canada’s forthcoming restrictions on trading goods with illegal West Bank settlements under international law.
A significant surge in reported violence in the occupied West Bank was cited as another pivotal reason for the UK’s sanctions, as highlighted by Miliband. He accused settler terrorists of ethnically cleansing Palestinians in certain West Bank regions.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar denounced Miliband’s remarks as “outrageous lies” and promptly announced the closure of the UK consulate in East Jerusalem. As part of retaliatory measures, Israel expelled UK representatives from a joint Gaza ceasefire monitoring center, terminated UK’s training of the Palestinian Authority’s security forces, and barred entry to 12 elected UK officials and other British citizens deemed involved in anti-Israel activities.
Jewish leaders in Canada and Britain criticized the actions taken by the UK, Canada, France, and other European nations. They expressed concerns over communal security, with some warning of potential attacks on the Jewish community. The UK’s Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis labeled it a “dark day for British Jews.”
The official Palestinian news agency welcomed the stance taken by the countries, denouncing the escalation of Israeli settlements as a blatant violation of international law. In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio refrained from commenting on the joint action but clarified that the U.S. would not follow the UK’s lead.
The evolving dynamics in the UK’s relationship with Israel became evident months ago. Prior to assuming office, Burnham hinted at a shift in policy, acknowledging the shortcomings of the Labour Party’s initial response to Israel’s actions in Gaza and pledging for a more effective approach under his leadership.