UK suspends free trade talks with Israel, announces sanctions over West Bank settlers

LONDON (AP):

The British government ramped up its criticism of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza by suspending free trade talks Tuesday and hitting West Bank settlers with sanctions.

The moves came as international pressure mounts on Israel following a nearly three-month blockade of supplies into Gaza that led to famine warnings. Even the United States, a staunch ally of Israel, has voiced concerns over the growing hunger crisis.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy described the situation in Gaza as abominable and said that while an existing trade agreement was in place, the government couldn’t continue discussions with an Israeli government pursuing what he called egregious policies in the West Bank and Gaza.

“The world is judging,” Lammy said. “History will judge them. Blocking aid. Expanding the war. Dismissing the concerns of your friends and partners. This is indefensible. And it must stop.”

The actions came a day after the UK, France and Canada issued a joint statement condemned Israel’s handling of the war in Gaza and its actions in the occupied West Bank.

Israeli’s ambassador to the UK, Tzipi Hotovely, was summoned to the Foreign Office on Tuesday where Middle East minister Hamish Falconer planned to call the 11-week blockade of aid to Gaza “cruel and indefensible.”

Lammy announced that in addition to previous sanctions imposed by the UK, it was now imposing sanctions on a further “three individuals, two illegal settler outposts and two organizations supporting violence against Palestinian community.”

He said the illegal Israeli settlements were spreading across the West Bank “with the explicit support of this Israeli government.”

Lammy’s remarks followed those of Prime Minister Keir Starmer who said the suffering by children in Gaza was “utterly intolerable” and repeated his call for a ceasefire.

“I want to put on record today that we’re horrified by the escalation from Israel,” Starmer said.

Starmer joined French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Monday in issuing one of the most significant criticisms by close allies of Israel’s handling of the war in Gaza and its actions in the West Bank.

The three leaders threatened to take “concrete actions” if the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not cease its renewed military offensive and significantly lift restrictions on humanitarian aid. Netanyahu said the statement was “a huge prize” for Hamas.