London (Palestine Foundation Information Center), British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said that the British government has prepared a package of measures aimed at putting pressure on the Israeli government. The package includes a ban on trade in goods produced in Israeli settlements, sanctions against individuals and companies that support settlements or facilitate their activities, and the announcement of an official position declaring Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal.
In an article published in The Guardian, Burnham stressed that these measures came after what he described as a prolonged delay in taking action against the occupying government. He also emphasized that calls for a two-state solution remain “meaningless and hollow” unless they are backed by concrete practical measures.
Burnham acknowledged that Britain’s response to what is happening in the Gaza Strip had been “far too slow and completely inadequate,” pointing to the scale of destruction and loss of life resulting from Israeli aggression.
British Measures Against Israeli Settlements
The new British package includes three major measures. The first is a ban on trade in goods originating from Israeli settlements established in Palestinian territory. The second is a change in the British government’s official position, with London declaring for the first time that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory is illegal. Burnham said this position is independent of the findings of the International Court of Justice but is consistent with them.
London has also announced sanctions against individuals and companies that support settlements, facilitate their activities, or profit from them, including companies and investors involved in the E1 settlement project.
Shock at the Scale of Destruction in Gaza
Burnham explained the shift in his government’s approach in light of the devastating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. He said it was extremely difficult to comprehend the scale of destruction there, where more than 70,000 people, including at least 20,000 children, have been killed, millions have been displaced, and families have been torn apart, while Gaza’s residents have been confined to only one-third of the Strip’s territory.
He said the suffering of Palestinians was a “stain on the conscience of the world,” while the killing of innocent civilians and children continued and the humanitarian crisis was worsening, with only extremely limited amounts of aid entering the Strip.
He added: “I will not sit idly by while this terrible suffering continues to grow and the prospects for a two-state solution, which is the greatest hope for peace and stability in the region, continue to be undermined.”
Rapidly Expanding Settlements
The British prime minister warned about the rapid expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, noting that since the Israeli government came to power in December 2022, it has approved the construction of 104 new settlements.
He also pointed to the issuance of tenders for the construction of the E1 project, stressing that its implementation would create a corridor through the heart of the West Bank that would undermine the prospects for establishing a viable Palestinian state and pose a serious threat to the two-state solution.
He said that more than 1,500 incidents of settler violence aimed at forcibly removing Palestinians had been recorded this year, warning that the situation was “rapidly getting worse.”
“We Are Not Punishing the Israeli People”
Burnham confirmed that the target of the British measures is not the Israeli people but “the unacceptable policies of the Israeli government.” He stressed that London was not imposing sanctions on Israel as a whole.
He also reiterated that the October 7, 2023 attack “in no way justifies the actions of the Israeli government in Gaza or the West Bank.”
He said the purpose of the new measures was to increase pressure on the Israeli government to change course and protect the prospects for a two-state solution that would allow both Palestinians and Israelis to live alongside each other in peace and security.
The British prime minister also stressed that Britain’s Jewish community should not be held responsible for the policies of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. He reaffirmed that his government would continue its efforts to combat antisemitism and ensure the security of members of the Jewish community.
