Egypt Daily News – The British Foreign Office announced on Tuesday that Britain has suspended its free trade agreement negotiations with Israel, imposed sanctions on West Bank settlers, and summoned the Israeli ambassador in response to Israel’s ongoing military operation in Gaza and settler violence in the West Bank.
In an official statement, the Foreign Office declared that trade negotiations are now “formally paused with immediate effect,” citing what it called the Netanyahu government’s “outrageous policies” in Gaza and the West Bank. “It is not possible to proceed with discussions on a new and enhanced Free Trade Agreement under these circumstances,” the statement read.
Israeli Ambassador to the UK, Tzipi Hotovely, was summoned to the Foreign Office over what the UK described as disproportionate military escalation in Gaza.
British Minister for the Middle East, Hamish Falconer, said in the statement, “I will express to Ambassador Hotovely the UK government’s opposition to the disproportionate escalation of military activity in Gaza and emphasize that the 11-week aid blockade was harsh and unjustifiable. I will urge Israel to halt settlement expansion and settler violence in the West Bank.”
He added, “Israel must comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law and ensure the full, rapid, and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. The limited amount of aid currently entering is simply not enough.”
Foreign Secretary David Lammy told Parliament on Tuesday that the UK had previously sanctioned seven entities last October and was now expanding its response.
“Today, we are imposing sanctions on three individuals and four entities involved in the settlement movement,” Lammy said. “We will continue to act against those responsible for gross human rights violations.”
