The UK imposed sanctions on illegal settlements, with its foreign secretary accusing settlers of ethnic cleansing, prompting Israel to close its East Jerusalem…
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The United Kingdom announced new sanctions targeting illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. The measures include a ban on importing goods from the settlements and sanctions against companies that finance or facilitate their construction and infrastructure, per the British foreign secretary.
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband issued the UK's strongest condemnation yet, stating that settler terrorists supported by Benjamin Netanyahu's government are committing ethnic cleansing against Palestinians. Miliband directly accused settlers of carrying out the ethnic cleansing, a charge echoed across multiple UK news outlets.
Israel's government responded furiously, calling the sanctions a "big mistake" and retaliating by shutting down the British consulate in East Jerusalem. The consulate closure marks a significant diplomatic escalation between the two nations.
Palestinians in the West Bank have strongly backed the ban on settlement goods. Analysis from Israeli outlet Haaretz indicates the sanctions could have a wider financial impact, potentially extending beyond settlement factories to affect Israeli banks that do business with them.
Sources: 1. BBC World: UK announces sanctions on West Bank settlements prompting furious Israeli response — https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g7zen0vveo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss (src1) 2.