UK, France and Canada Impose Sanctions on Israeli Settlements in West Bank as Britain Condemns 'Ethnic Cleansing'

London — The United Kingdom, France and Canada announced plans for sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, in a coordinated move that underlined Israel’s growing isolation on the international stage.

Announcing the sanctions in UK Parliament, British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband issued a strong condemnation of Israel’s actions in the West Bank, saying “settler terrorists” had committed “ethnic cleansing” against Palestinians living there and describing the measures as a reset in relations between the two countries.

In a joint statement, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said: “The time has come to take further action to uphold our commitment to protect the two-state solution, our interests and to stand up for our values, before it is too late.”

“The UK, France and Canada will therefore take steps to ban the importation of goods from settlements and enforce targeted measures against settlements and those who facilitate them or profit from them.”

The announcement was also accompanied by a joint letter from nine other Western nations who said they would also introduce similar restrictions on trade with settlements illegal under international law – or would work to support European restrictions. Middle Eastern nations such as US allies Oman and Qatar welcomed the decision.

Israel and the United States – its most important ally – have threatened to retaliate against Britain for the move. Miliband, who said he was setting out the measures “as a proud Jew,” said that Britain could no longer simply “call out” injustice and suffering.

“The British government agrees that there is ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in areas of the West Bank, perpetrated by settler terrorists, and all too often the Israeli government turns a blind eye to this. And worse, members of it have made statements and taking actions to support the forced displacement of Palestinians,” he said. He added that the UK must now “act” to oppose the expansion of settlements.

The UK sanctions will ban the import of goods from Israeli settlements in the West Bank. It will also sanction a further set of Israeli settlers, and take action against specific companies and individuals involved in settlement expansion across the construction, infrastructure, finance and real estate sectors, Miliband said.

“Britain should now lead in Europe, across the Commonwealth, and internationally, to ensure that no state, company, bank, or institution contributes to, facilitates, or profits from this illegal occupation,” he said. British sanctions legislation typically takes 12 months or more to implement, but it is understood that in this case the timeframe has been shortened to six to nine months.

Israel captured East Jerusalem and the West Bank in the 1967 war. Both are considered occupied territories under international law, and Israeli settlements there are widely regarded as illegal. Miliband said the sanctions were an effort to prevent the destruction of the two-state solution, referring to a peace plan that calls for an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel and what he called a “North star” of British policy.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar called the move an “absurd political decision” and “a morally corrupt move” and accused the British government of interfering with Israel’s upcoming elections.

Settlements have been accelerated under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hardline government, which has made settlement expansion a priority. Sa’ar said that Israel would retaliate by closing the UK consulate in Jerusalem – with an Israeli official telling CNN that should happen within 30 days – expel British representatives from the CMCC, terminate the activities of the British Support Team (BST), and deny entry to 11 British lawmakers and a solicitor.

The issue was raised in a call between Burnham and US President Donald Trump on Monday, according to a source familiar with the call. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio declined to comment on the UK’s new sanctions on Tuesday, but said, “we share the goal of stability.”

The decision marks a significant clash between Israel and some of its top Western allies amid mounting international criticism over Israel’s policies in the West Bank, where settler violence against Palestinians has surged.