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UPDATE : 1650 Cyprus time: Politico is reporting that France and Canada will join the UK in banning trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Britain is banning trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, accusing violent settlers of carrying out the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.
The language is unusually blunt for the United Kingdom, a longtime Israeli ally. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband told Parliament that Palestinian homes had been bulldozed, infrastructure destroyed, and families driven from their communities by what he called “settler terrorists.”
The ban will cover all goods produced in the settlements, along with services connected to financing, construction, infrastructure, property, and advertising. It is expected to take effect within six to nine months.
This is not a blanket ban on trade with Israel. It specifically targets settlements built on land Palestinians want for a future state. Most of the international community considers the settlements illegal, although Israel disputes that position.
France and Canada are also expected to ban settlement goods, while several European countries have promised further action.
Miliband said Britain would not stand by as settlement expansion destroyed what remains of the two-state solution. He also tightened restrictions on arms exports to Israel, covering weapons that could contribute to the occupation of Palestinian territory.
The announcement sparked an angry response from Israel. President Isaac Herzog called it a serious mistake and accused Britain of interfering in Israel’s upcoming election. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar warned that Israel would respond if Britain acted against it.
Hard-line minister Itamar Ben-Gvir went further, calling on Israel to recognize Argentina’s claim to the British-controlled Falkland Islands.
The United States also criticized the move, warning that British businesses could face consequences in American states with laws against boycotts of Israel.
The financial effect of the ban may be limited because settlement products represent only a small part of Britain’s trade with Israel. Politically, however, it marks a major shift.
Western governments have criticized settlement construction for years. Britain is now moving from diplomatic disapproval to an actual trade penalty and using words once rarely heard from one of Israel’s closest allies.
*Source: AP News
