UK plans trade ban on West Bank settlements as US warns of retaliation
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband is expected to outline the policy in Parliament, while the US says possible repercussions have not been decided.
The UK government is expected to ban trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank, in a policy shift that Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband is due to set out in Parliament.
The government is framing the move as support for Palestinian rights and an attempt to preserve the prospects of a two-state solution. Successive UK governments have condemned settlement expansion but taken limited action, according to The Guardian.
The policy follows criticism from pro-Palestinian voters and comes shortly after a writ was moved for a contested Holborn and St Pancras by-election. Its final scope, legal basis and implementation have not been confirmed.
Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, warned the move could damage UK-US trade and lead to retaliation. He said possible US measures had not been announced, while referring to Florida legislation that he said could restrict British businesses from dealing with companies in the state.
Conservative critics have argued that the policy could affect UK-Israel security cooperation and increase terrorism risks. Others have warned that measures seen to stigmatise Israel could heighten antisemitism. The likely economic impact and any US response remain unclear.
