Labour to announce sanctions over Israeli West Bank settlements in ‘reset’

Ed Miliband is set to announce sanctions on Israeli settlements in the West Bank as part of a toughened stance under Andy Burnham’s Government.Read MoreThe Foreign Secretary is expected to set out a “reset” of the UK’s relations with Israel in a Commons statement on Tuesday.Ministers have suggested goods coming out of the illegal settlements in the West Bank, a Palestinian territory, could be subject to trade restrictions as part of the changes.US President Donald Trump spoke to Andy Burnham on Monday (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP)APThe Prime Minister discussed the Middle East with US President Donald Trump in a phone call on Monday ahead of the intervention, which risks drawing criticism from Washington, Israel’s closest ally.A Downing Street readout said Mr Burnham had set out “the UK’s commitment to working towards peace and security in the region” and stressed the importance of the two-state solution, but made no mention of how the president responded.The Times reported that the Trump administration would make a statement attacking the intervention.Tensions in the West Bank have flared in recent months, with Israeli settlers involved in violent disputes with Palestinians.Labour lost the support of many of its left-wing backers under Sir Keir Starmer over his initial response to Israel’s military action in Gaza following Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel in 2023.Prime Minister Mr Burnham, who was among senior party figures to have called for a ceasefire by late October that year, previously suggested he would change the Government’s approach to the conflict soon after coming to office in July.He has voiced particular concerns about the E1 settlement, where Israel has given final approval for a controversial project that would effectively separate the occupied West Bank from East Jerusalem.Israel has already threatened to retaliate if the UK imposes sanctions over the potential expansion of settlements in the West Bank, with foreign minister Gideon Saar warning: “If Britain acts against Israel, Israel will act against Britain.Asked about the intervention, Jonathan Hall KC, the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, told BBC Newsnight: “From a terrorism perspective, I mean, obviously one’s got to think about international cooperation.”He added: “That is a really big deal, particularly with Iran, thinking about intelligence. On the other hand, I suppose it’s also true to say that some settler violence does amount to terrorism.”Mr Hall also expressed concern about the potential impact on Britain’s Jewish communities, adding: “I think there is a risk that if you stir the pot by making Israel a pariah state, then that will bring that flame up again, which we saw.“Remember, it was only a year ago that there was the attack at Heaton Park. And I’ve been very worried about de-legitimising anyone who’s Israeli, certainly, and Jews, many of whom support Israel, and painting a bit of a target on the back.“Now, I’m sure the government will be very careful, I hope they will be, in the way in which they describe this, but that is a concern.”Shadow foreign secretary Tom Tugendhat previously said the plans could put Britain’s national security at risk and make it harder to fight terrorism.He told the Telegraph: “It’s worth remembering that Israel is one of our most important intelligence partners, and has been for many, many years.“I can tell you, as security minister, a lot of incidents did not happen because of co-operation with intelligence sources in Israel, who helped us to protect British people from terror attacks.”