By ANDERSON CLIFF

West Bank Settlements: Western Rift Deepens as Britain, France, Canada Target Israel

A fresh diplomatic dispute has emerged between Israel and several Western governments over settlement expansion and violence in the occupied West Bank.

Britain, France and Canada announced plans to impose sanctions on goods from Israeli settlements.

Nine other countries joined them in a joint statement issued on Tuesday. They include Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.

The countries said Israel’s policies were weakening prospects for a two-state solution.

They warned that rising settler violence and settlement expansion had created a rapidly deteriorating situation.

The governments urged Israel to immediately stop settlement expansion.

They also demanded accountability for violence by settlers and investigations into allegations involving Israeli forces.

The announcement represents a significant diplomatic warning over Israel’s policies in the occupied territory.

Britain also issued some of the strongest criticism of the Israeli government.

Foreign Secretary Edward Miliband accused the Netanyahu administration of tacitly backing ethnic cleansing.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham expressed similar concern over the humanitarian situation affecting Palestinians.

He pointed to continuing deaths in Gaza, including children, and the inadequate flow of humanitarian assistance.

Britain’s proposed measures include a ban on imports of goods produced in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Israel Responds With Countermeasures

Israel responded swiftly.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced the closure of the British consulate in occupied East Jerusalem.

Israel also announced entry bans on several British parliamentarians, including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

The restrictions target the British consulate in Sheikh Jarrah, which handles Palestinian-related issues in the occupied territories.

The British embassy and ambassador remain based in Tel Aviv.

Israel also announced the termination of British involvement in training Palestinian security forces in the West Bank.

It further said Britain would withdraw from a US-led coordination mission for Gaza.

Jerusalem Condemns British Policy

Sa’ar accused the British government of acting with hostility towards Israel.

He argued that Israel had no problem with the British population but objected to what he described as the Labour government’s systematic actions against Israel.

Herzog also rejected the sanctions.

The Israeli president called the decision a grave miscalculation and warned that it would damage Britain’s historical standing.

The response reflects the depth of disagreement between Israel and the governments backing the new measures.

Washington Takes a Different Position

The dispute has also exposed differences within the Western alliance.

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, a strong supporter of Israeli settlements, criticised Britain’s decision.

He described the sanctions as discriminatory against Jews and warned that Britain could face US retaliation.

The position of the US government itself was more measured.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington would not follow Britain, France and Canada in blocking imports from Israeli settlements.

He also warned against measures that could destabilise the West Bank.

Settlement Policy at the Centre of the Dispute

The latest confrontation places Israel’s settlement policy at the centre of another international diplomatic dispute.

The countries supporting sanctions say settlement expansion and settler violence threaten the prospects of a two-state solution.

Israel, meanwhile, views the measures as hostile interference in its domestic affairs.

With Washington refusing to adopt the same trade restrictions, the episode also highlights differences among Western governments over how to respond to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.