LONDON (AP) — On Tuesday, the U.K. halted free trade discussions with Israel and imposed sanctions on settlers in the West Bank, just a day after promising “concrete actions” if Israel continued its military actions in Gaza.
International pressure on Israel is escalating, especially from close allies, after a nearly three-month blockade of essential supplies into Gaza led to dire famine warnings. Even the United States has expressed concern over the humanitarian crisis.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated that the government could not proceed with talks to enhance its trade agreement with an Israeli administration engaging in what he described as atrocious policies in Gaza and the West Bank.
“History will judge them,” Lammy asserted. “Blocking aid, escalating conflict, and disregarding the concerns of allies is indefensible and must cease.” Meanwhile, the Israeli ambassador to the U.K., Tzipi Hotovely, was called to the Foreign Office, where Middle East minister Hamish Falconer labeled the 11-week aid blockade as “cruel and indefensible.”
U.K. Sanctions and Policy Stance
Lammy announced that the U.K. would impose sanctions on “three individuals, two illegal settler outposts, and two organizations backing violence against Palestinians.” He noted that illegal Israeli settlements are expanding in the West Bank with the government’s explicit support.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Oren Marmorstein, called the sanctions against settlers “unfounded and regrettable,” asserting that the U.K. was not advancing the free trade negotiations anyway.
Calls for Ceasefire
While Lammy received support from some members of the House of Commons, others urged tougher measures, including economic sanctions against Israel and recognizing Palestine. Some demanded that he characterize Israeli actions as “genocide,” which he termed instead as “extremism” and “monstrous.” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has repeatedly asserted that the suffering of children in Gaza is “utterly intolerable” and has called for a ceasefire.
Starmer, along with French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, issued strong criticism regarding Israel’s military actions, threatening “concrete measures” if the Israeli government did not halt military aggression and substantially ease restrictions on humanitarian aid.
