- France and Canada will join the U.K. in imposing new trade sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements, as confirmed by British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband in the House of Commons.
- Miliband told MPs that the British government agrees there is ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in areas of the West Bank, and that the Israeli government has often turned a blind eye.
- France's Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noël Barrot confirmed France will end trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian Territories, stating France cannot support a situation threatening security.
- Israeli President Isaac Herzog warned the sanctions would be a 'grave miscalculation', and Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar threatened retaliation, saying Britain 'will be making a big mistake'.
- U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee suggested the U.S. could retaliate against the U.K., calling the decision discrimination against Jewish people and hinting that Florida might take trade action.
- The announcement follows a major diplomatic effort by the British government over the summer, culminating in a visit to Downing Street by French President Emmanuel Macron last week, and marks a sharp shift under new British Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
- The U.K., France, and Canada are among 11 countries that issued a joint statement warning that Israeli actions in the West Bank threaten the two-state solution.
- The U.K. will take action against specific companies and individuals providing services like construction, infrastructure, financing, or real estate for settlement expansion, acting in concert with a broad international coalition.
The U.K., France, and Canada have united to impose trade sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements, marking a significant diplomatic shift.
British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband stated, “the British government agrees that there is ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in areas of the West Bank,” highlighting the urgency of the situation.12
The sanctions include a ban on the trade of goods and services from these settlements, following condemnation of Israel's plans for new housing in the E1 area. Miliband emphasized that the U.K. will act against companies involved in settlement expansion, stating, “we will act in concert with others in a broad international coalition.”
France’s Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noël Barrot confirmed, “France will end trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian Territories,” joining the U.K. and Canada in this initiative. This decision follows a diplomatic effort by the British government, including a recent visit from French President Emmanuel Macron.1112
However, the move has drawn criticism from Israeli officials. Israeli President Isaac Herzog warned that sanctions would be a “grave miscalculation,” while Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar threatened retaliation, stating, “If Britain acts against the state of Israel, the state of Israel will act against Britain.”67
The U.S. has also expressed discontent, with Ambassador Mike Huckabee suggesting potential retaliatory measures against the U.K., calling the sanctions “discrimination against the Jewish people.”8910
“The sanctions target goods and some services from settlements, with Britain acting against companies and individuals providing construction, infrastructure, financing, or real estate for expansion. Israeli President Herzog calls the move a 'grave miscalculation,' while US Ambassador Huckabee suggests Florida might take trade action against the UK.”
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