Ed Miliband, the British Foreign Secretary, has announced a ban on imports of goods produced in Jewish settlements in the Israeli occupied West Bank, as part of a new policy to pressure Israel over settlement expansion. The move is seen as a significant shift in Britain's relations with Israel, and comes after Andy Burnham, the UK Prime Minister, suggested that he would impose sanctions on Israel if elected.
The ban is part of a broader effort by the UK, along with France and Canada, to restrict trade with Israeli settlements. The measures are intended to support the two-state solution and address concerns over the occupation in the West Bank. However, the move has been criticized by the US and some Israeli politicians, who argue that it will harm relations between the countries.
The UK's position is that the settlement expansion is undermining prospects for a two-state solution, which has long been supported by Britain. Ed Miliband emphasized that the British government's argument is not with the people of Israel, but rather with the conduct of their government. He also stated that the UK agrees that there is ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in areas of the West Bank.
The ban on imports of goods from Israeli settlements will be part of a broader effort to restrict trade with these areas. The measures are intended to be limited and symbolically significant, but will not come into force immediately.
