Britain turns on Israeli settlements with sweeping sanctions and ethnic cleansing warning Britain draws a new line in the West BankBritain has dramatically toughened its position on Israel, accusing settler groups of ethnic cleansing in the West Bank and announcing sweeping sanctions targeting trade and businesses connected to Israeli settlements. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband told MPs that the British government now considers Israel's occupation of the West Bank unlawful in its entirety. It is one of the strongest condemnations of Israeli policy ever made by a British government. Trade with settlements will be hitThe government plans to ban imports of goods produced in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. It also intends to impose sanctions on companies involved in financing, construction, infrastructure and marketing connected to the settlements, while introducing restrictions on exports and services that materially contribute to the occupation. Individuals accused of promoting settler violence will also face personal sanctions. The measures are aimed specifically at settlement activity in the occupied territories rather than Israeli trade as a whole. That distinction is important. Britain is not announcing a general trade embargo on Israel. Miliband uses extraordinary languageBut it was Miliband's description of what is happening on the ground that really raised the temperature. He told MPs that the British government believes “ethnic cleansing” is taking place in parts of the West Bank, perpetrated by what he described as settler terrorists. He accused the Israeli government of turning a blind eye to the violence and said some members of the government had gone further by supporting the forced displacement of Palestinians. The language represents a remarkable change in Britain's diplomatic position. The E1 settlement is at the centreOne of the immediate triggers is Israel's decision to press ahead with a major settlement project in the E1 area east of Jerusalem. Critics say the development could effectively divide the West Bank and make the creation of a viable Palestinian state far more difficult. Miliband has described the settlement expansion as a red line, while Israeli officials have argued that the territory is vital to Israel's security and strategic interests. For Britain, the issue is therefore no longer simply about individual settlements. It is about whether the possibility of a two-state solution is being permanently destroyed. France and Canada join the pressureBritain is not acting entirely alone. France and Canada have also announced measures against goods from Israeli settlements, while other countries have expressed support for stronger international pressure. The British government says the objective is to protect the possibility of a two-state settlement before it becomes impossible. Miliband has also stressed that Britain continues to support Israel's security and has condemned Iran as a threat to Israel and Jews around the world. That is clearly an attempt to draw a distinction between opposition to Israeli government policy and opposition to Israel itself. Washington is not following BritainThe move has also exposed a growing difference between Britain and the United States. Washington has rejected following Britain's approach, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio warning against destabilising the West Bank. That leaves Britain taking a considerably tougher position than its most important traditional ally on one of the most explosive issues in the Middle East. Israel is furiousThe Israeli government has rejected Britain's accusations, with Foreign Minister Gideon Saar describing Miliband's comments as outrageous and accusing Britain of systematically working against Israel. The dispute therefore goes well beyond a disagreement over tariffs or imports. Britain is effectively saying that settlement expansion has crossed a line — and that economic and political consequences should follow. A major shift in British policyFor decades, British governments have condemned Israeli settlement expansion while stopping short of imposing serious economic consequences. That has now changed. The government says Britain will no longer simply criticise settlement expansion while watching it continue. The question is whether the new sanctions will actually change Israeli policy. Even supporters of the measures acknowledge that their economic impact may be limited. Their greater significance could be political: signalling that settlement expansion will carry a price and that Britain is prepared to enforce its opposition rather than simply repeat it. Britain has picked a side — against the settlementsThis is therefore much bigger than a trade story. Britain has formally declared Israel's occupation of the West Bank unlawful, accused settler groups of ethnic cleansing and announced sanctions designed to make settlement expansion more difficult. Israel has rejected the accusations. America is not following Britain's lead. France and Canada are moving in the same direction. And the future of the two-state solution has become the centre of the argument. Britain has drawn a new line in the Middle East. The question now is whether this is the beginning of genuine international pressure on Israel — or simply another dramatic diplomatic statement that changes very little on the ground. Original Content — Sources: Middle East Eye and The Guardian.
