Britain to ban trade in goods made in Israeli West Bank settlements

London, United Kingdom. Britain will announce a trade ban on goods made in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank later on Tuesday, in a move presented as stronger support for a two-state solution.

The restrictions are expected to have limited impact on the £6 billion ($8.12 billion) in annual bilateral trade, although details of how Britain will identify settlement-produced goods have not been clarified.

Settlement policy

Foreign Minister Ed Miliband, who took office six weeks ago, indicated last week that he intended to reset Britain’s policy on Israel. He is due to announce the trading restrictions later on Tuesday.

The measures are linked to Israel’s E1 settlement project in the West Bank, which Miliband and other Western politicians have said would cut across land sought by Palestinians for a future state.

Britain and other European countries criticised Israel’s E1 settlement plans in August. Work and Pensions Minister Pat McFadden said expanded settlement activity had made the issue more urgent.

“The reason that danger has become more urgent is because of expanded settlement activity in recent weeks and months,” McFadden told Times Radio on Tuesday.

International reaction

The United States is likely to oppose Britain’s intervention. In Israel, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for the British ambassador to be expelled.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who has been in office since July, discussed the Middle East with US President Donald Trump on Monday. According to Burnham’s office, he stressed the importance of a two-state solution.

United Nations bodies and most governments, including Britain, consider Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal and view the territory as under military occupation. Israel considers the territory disputed rather than occupied and says Jews have a historical claim to the land.