UK, France, Canada announce ban on trade with Israeli settlements in West Bank

British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced a ban on trade with E1 Israeli settlements in the West Bank on Tuesday.

The news was not totally unexpected: On August 19, UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said he would introduce a comprehensive set of measures in “the coming weeks.”Nevertheless, the timing has been criticized, coming just days before the Jewish High Holiday season begins - which has already been flagged as a dangerous period for Jews and a high risk for antisemitic terror attacks.

There is also significant speculation that the Labor Party wished to finalize the new legislation ahead of three major upcoming events: first, a UK by-election in which the anti-Israel Greens are its main rivals; second, the upcoming Labor Party Conference; and third, the Israeli elections in October.

Jewish groups, including the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council, have expressed concern that the sanctions could further damage the UK-Israel relationship and have a harmful impact on British Jews.

UK Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis said the UK government’s intended sanctions would be “counterproductive and even endanger such a vision of peace.”

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Many members of the Jewish community view the measures with deep dismay, he said, adding that they risk spiraling into a de facto boycott of Israel and threatening the livelihoods of tens of thousands of Palestinian workers.

“These measures will also disproportionately affect British Jews because of our close religious, family, charitable, and educational ties to Israel,” Mirvis said.

Shadow Foreign Secretary Tom Tugendhat on Sunday said damaging diplomatic relations with Israel could harm British citizens.

Terrorist attacks on British soil had been foiled by the UK’s security services as a direct result of Israeli intelligence sources sharing information with their British counterparts, he told The Telegraph.

Former independent reviewer of Prevent Sir William Shawcross said: “This reckless anti-Israel stunt will embolden our extremist enemies and drive further anti-Jewish racism.”

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told the BBC he doesn't know if the UK is "really aware of the implications and how it's going to affect Brits."

He noted the fact that many pharmaceuticals used in the UK are made in Israel. While he placed the figure at 25%, NHS data places it at around 1 in 7.

"This is an irrational action; I don't understand what it is supposed to achieve," Huckabee continued. "If the UK is really interested in dealing with issues they feel like are wrong, where are the sanctions against North Korea, China, Russia?"

"It's discrimination against the Israeli government, discrimination against the Jewish people, and I don't understand the rationale of it."

While British PM Andy Burnham has not spoken to his Israeli counterpart since entering the role 50 days ago, Burnham did speak to US President Trump on Monday to inform him of the impending pan.

It is understood that the US government is preparing to release a condemnation of the sanctions later on Tuesday.

It could also contain implied or actual threats of retaliation against the UK over the decision.

Israeli response

Itamar Ben Gvir appealed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to close the British Consulate in east Jerusalem today, which operates openly on behalf of the Palestinian Authority.

"This must be Israel's resolute response to British audacity," he said.

Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Arieh King similarly called for Israel to enforce the closure of Britain's diplomatic presence at 80 Nablus Road and 15 Rajeib Nashashibi Street, Jerusalem.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for the expulsion of the British ambassador.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said the move is a "grave miscalculation, a decision that will fall on the wrong side of history, and a gross interference in the democratic elections of a sovereign nation.”

"It will serve no one," he added, saying instead that it will directly harm Palestinians, robbing them of business and employment.