Britain is preparing new sanctions against Israelis over the expansion of settlements
The United Kingdom is preparing new targeted sanctions against Israelis accused of illegally expanding settlements. British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband made this announcement, specifying that the restrictions will apply to activities in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
Miliband noted that the United Kingdom will not “stand idly by and accept the destruction of the two-state solution” after the Israeli government announced a tender for the construction of 1,200 homes in the strategically important so-called E1 zone in the West Bank.
“The E1 zone will cut through the very heart of Palestine and risks severing the West Bank from East Jerusalem, which would jeopardize the two-state solution,” the British minister said.
He also called the Israeli government’s actions “unacceptable and destructive.” Miliband appealed to his Israeli counterpart, Gideon Saar, to “immediately halt the plans for E1” and cancel the tender.
In addition, he noted that he had summoned Israel’s top diplomat in the United Kingdom to the Foreign Office to make these demands clear.
Miliband stated that in the coming weeks, the United Kingdom would announce “a package of measures in response to the Israeli government’s policy.”
As a reminder, inflation in the United Kingdom has risen to 2.9% due to rising energy prices.
