Aimed at settlements, UK sanctions could put entire Israeli economy at risk
Trade ban threatens to unleash a Pandora's box of boycotts around world, with businesses, banks and others staying away from all of Israel rather than trying to untangle penalties The post Aimed at settlements, UK sanctions could put entire Israeli economy at risk appeared first on The Times of Israel .
Over 130 lawyers and former judges have penned a scathing letter to UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, warning that the sanctions recently announced by Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband against Israeli settlements are inadequate and do not meet the UK's obligations under international law. The letter, sent on Tuesday, acknowledges the government's decision to align with Canada and France but states that the measures "fall far short" of Britain's legal responsibilities outlined in a 2024 International Court of Justice ruling.
The UK government has declared the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory illegal, with Foreign Secretary Miliband affirming that ethnic cleansing is occurring in the West Bank. The letter's signatories include barrister Michael Mansfield, former Lord Justice of Appeal Alan Moses, SOAS professor Nimer Sultany, and UCL professor of international law Ralph Wilde.
The proposed sanctions would encompass Israeli settlements in the Golan Heights, East Jerusalem, and the occupied West Bank, as well as those in the Palestinian territories.
Lawyers urge the government to extend sanctions to cover insurance, accountancy services, and digital infrastructure, as well as calling for a full arms embargo on Israel. They emphasize that the occupation is not an unintended consequence but a deliberate policy, requiring immediate, comprehensive actions from the UK government rather than a limited approach.
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