Israel’s Herzog calls UK sanctions a ‘grave mistake,’ warns of election interference

Earlier this month, British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced that Britain, along with France and Canada, would ban the trade of goods and some services originating from Israeli settlements. Miliband also stated that the British government agreed that Palestinians were facing “ethnic cleansing” in parts of the West Bank.

Herzog, speaking in an interview, expressed being "very disturbed and offended on behalf of my nation" by the sanctions. He argued that if imposed, the measures would "directly harm, unfortunately, Palestinians, robbing them of business and employment." He added that such actions would ultimately "undermine the interests and national security of freedom-loving nations."

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee criticized the expected British announcement, warning of a U.S. response and calling the move "discrimination against the Israeli government and the Jewish people." Israeli Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich called for the UK ambassador to be expelled if the sanctions are imposed.