Ed Miliband's planned UK sanctions on Israel 'face five tests'

Former British diplomats have devised a series of "tests" to evaluate the UK government's impending sanctions package against Israel. The package, set to be implemented by Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, aims to pressure Israel's settlement expansion in the West Bank. Miliband plans to announce tighter restrictions on Israeli settlements in the West Bank during a Tuesday press conference.

Although the specifics of the package have not been disclosed, Miliband asserts that it signifies a "comprehensive reset" in the UK's foreign policy relationship with Israel. He emphasized that his government would not tolerate the dismantling of the two-state solution and pledged to enact a comprehensive set of measures in the forthcoming weeks.

The impetus for the decision was Israel's announcement of a bidding process for the E1 settlement, which would sever the West Bank's link to Jerusalem. Campaigners have been vocal about Israel's expanding settlement activities and increasing violence in the region for over a year. The government has been urged to impose sanctions on businesses involved in illegal settlements, criminalize British nationals owning property in the West Bank, and prohibit the trade of settlement goods.

The Britain Palestine Project, an association of ex-diplomats from the Middle East, outlined five "tests" to gauge the effectiveness of Miliband's package. They stressed that the policy should aim to sever the UK's involvement in the occupation, curtail settlement trade and services, bolster Palestinian statehood, and apply pressure on Israel while garnering international backing for tangible consequences.

The BPP's executive director, Brian Brivati, questioned whether the recognition of Palestine would be followed by practical policy, questioning whether the UK's privileged relationship with Israel would result in any tangible changes, such as settlement expansion, annexation, or the destruction of Gaza. Miliband has faced criticism from the Israeli government and pro-Israeli British groups, with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Diplomatic Office reportedly divided over the potential backlash from the far right in Israel ahead of the October elections.

The UK's relationship with the US is also a concern, as the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, accused Miliband of "Jew hate." Some, like Prof Yossi Mekelberg from Chatham House, argue that sanctions can be mitigated if paired with support for and investment in Palestine, ensuring that settlements are harmed while avoiding harm to Palestinians.