Britain expands sanctions powers over Israeli settlements — The Guardian
Great Britain is expanding its powers to impose sanctions on individuals and entities that support Israel’s illegal settlement activity, obstruct the delivery of humanitarian aid or unlawfully detain people. As The Guardian reports, the new global sanctions regime provides for asset freezes, bans on the provision of funds or economic resources, entry bans and company director disqualification.
New grounds for restrictions
The relevant statutory instrument supplements the 2020 sanctions regime with three grounds: serious violations of international humanitarian law, obstruction of humanitarian aid and serious violations of the right to liberty and security of person.
Illegal settlement activity will fall under sanctions as a violation of international humanitarian law, including provisions of the Geneva Convention concerning occupation. The measures may be applied not only to direct perpetrators, but also to those who facilitate, incite, promote or support such actions, finance them, provide goods or technology, conceal evidence or benefit from them.
Banks and commercial entities may fall within the scope of the rules, as reasonable grounds to suspect involvement in the relevant actions are sufficient for inclusion on the sanctions list.
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Emergency procedure and the E1 settlement
The new regime is due to come into force on Thursday, but must be approved by members of both houses of the British Parliament within 28 days. An emergency procedure is also being introduced, allowing ministers to replicate EU, US, Canadian or Australian sanctions decisions for up to 112 days while a separate British case is prepared.
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband is accelerating the adoption of the measures amid plans by the Israeli government to proceed with the E1 settlement project in the West Bank, designed for 1,234 homes. Many observers believe such a project could sever the territorial contiguity of a viable Palestinian state.
The deadline for submitting bids for the E1 tender is October 19. The Israel Land Authority confirmed that tender bids will not be opened or considered until November 19 — after the Israeli elections on October 27. Separately, British officials are working with European partners on mechanisms to prohibit British trade with illegal Israeli settlements.
