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UK set to announce ban on trade with Israeli settlements in West Bank
The Jerusalem Post • • world
Key Points:
- The UK government plans to announce a ban on trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including sanctions on goods produced in these settlements and targeted measures against British institutions and individuals, with the announcement expected on Tuesday in Parliament.
- Jewish groups and UK Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis have expressed serious concerns, warning that the sanctions could damage UK-Israel relations, harm UK Jews, and negatively impact Palestinian workers, potentially escalating into a de facto boycott of Israel.
- Critics, including the Shadow Foreign Secretary and UK Lawyers for Israel, argue the ban could undermine security cooperation with Israel, violate international trade agreements, and harm the Palestinian economy by disrupting Israeli-Palestinian cooperation.
- The announcement's timing, just before the Jewish New Year, and the lack of recent communication between UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu highlight tensions amid the UK government's push for new sanctions against Israel.
