Key facts
- France and Canada will join the U.K. in imposing trade sanctions on Israeli settlements.
- The U.K., France, and Canada will ban the trade of goods and some services from Israeli settlements.
- The Israeli government said it will retaliate by closing the British consulate in Jerusalem.
- British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband stated the U.K. agrees there is ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in areas of the West Bank.
- U.K. sanctions legislation will take six to nine months to implement.
- France's foreign affairs minister Jean-Noël Barrot confirmed France's involvement, stating trade should not support a situation that threatens security.
France and Canada will join the United Kingdom in imposing new trade sanctions on Israeli settlements, a move that has prompted a retaliatory response from the Israeli government. British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband confirmed that the three countries will ban the trade of goods and some services from Israeli settlements. This coordinated action follows a joint statement by 12 countries warning that Israeli government actions in the West Bank threaten the two-state solution.
In response to the sanctions, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced that the British consulate in Jerusalem would be closed and warned of potential countermeasures against other nations acting against Israel. Miliband stated that the U.K. government agrees there is ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in parts of the West Bank and that the Israeli government has often overlooked this. The U.K. sanctions are expected to take between six and nine months to implement.
France's foreign affairs minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, confirmed France's participation, emphasizing that trade should not support a situation that jeopardizes the security of both Israelis and Palestinians. Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand stated that Canada would introduce similar restrictions in the coming months. The announcement comes after significant diplomatic efforts by the British government, including a visit from French President Emmanuel Macron.
The U.K.'s stance marks a notable shift under Prime Minister Andy Burnham, with Miliband acknowledging that Britain should have acted sooner. Sa’ar accused Miliband of making false claims for domestic political reasons ahead of the Labour Party's conference. Israel also indicated it would deny entry to 12 British MPs and nationals, including Diane Abbott and Jeremy Corbyn.
The relationship between Israel and France has become strained, particularly in light of the war in Gaza. Macron has previously called for Europe to adopt a firmer stance on Israel. While several EU countries have expressed willingness to ban trade with settlements, legal complexities exist under EU law, which designates trade as an exclusive EU competence.
The sanctions announcement precedes the U.N. General Assembly meeting in New York. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee had previously suggested potential U.S. retaliation, calling the move "discrimination against the Jewish people." U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the U.S. was aware of the decision but would not follow suit.