London, United Kingdom. Britain on Tuesday announced sanctions targeting networks the government said were involved in financing, enabling and carrying out settler violence in the occupied West Bank. The measures were coordinated with Canada, France and Norway.
Sanctions announcement
The British government said the sanctions were aimed at disrupting financial flows that have “allowed extremist settler groups to act with impunity” in the West Bank.
Government position
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper was expected to tell parliament that settler expansion and violence are illegal and pose a fundamental threat to the viability of a two-state solution and to long-term peace and security for Palestinians and Israelis, according to advance excerpts of her remarks.
The government said continued illegal settlement expansion undermined the viability of a two-state solution, with record levels of settler violence “designed deliberately to destroy Palestinian homes and livelihoods in the West Bank”.
Call to Israel and warning of further action
Britain repeated its call on the Israeli government to end settlement expansion, clamp down on settler violence, prosecute those responsible, and lift ongoing restrictions on the functioning of the Palestinian economy.
The government also said it could take further action if the situation does not improve.
Israeli response and U.N. inquiry
Israel rejects accusations that its troops shield settlers during attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank, saying such actions are rogue incidents that violate military protocol and are investigated.
The British sanctions follow a U.N. inquiry that found Israeli authorities were directly involved in settler attacks that killed, injured and displaced Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, while Israeli security forces provided protection to settlers.
Previous steps by Britain
Under Prime Minister Keir Starmer, London has paused free trade talks with Israel, suspended some arms export licences and imposed sanctions on two far-right Israeli cabinet ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.
Last year, Britain joined allies including France and Canada in recognising a Palestinian state.
