The UK has implemented sanctions targeting Israel
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What prompted the UK to impose sanctions on Israel over West Bank settlements?
The Claire Byrne Show on News Talk. With Aviva Insurance.
Well the UK has implemented sanctions targeting Israel over the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. For more than this, I'm joined by George Parker, who's political editor with the Financial Times, and also by Einat Wilf, Chair of the Oz Party and former member of the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset. George, I'll begin with you. Was there surprise yesterday in your assessment that the Prime Minister and his Foreign Secretary, Ed Miliband, made this move.
Apologies for the sirens just going by. Um well no, I don't think it was a great surprise. It had been trailed for a few weeks now since said Miliban became foreign secretary as part of Andy Burnham's new government. A sort of hardening of the position against Israeli settlements was taking shape. And so it wasn't entirely out of the blue, but it is a deviation, a a sharp change of policy compared with the policy taken by Sakir Starmer, the outgoing Prime Minister. Um Millerman said as much in the House of Commons, it was a new policy that he wanted to act and send a signal before it was too late to um leave the two state solution as a viable outcome in the Middle East.
They went to great rounds and at great length to explain the logic for this, going in hard on on Israel, but also, as I say, taking lots of time to explain the reasoning behind this. Did it work? Do you think people bought their argument where you are in the UK? We'll come to Israel in a moment.
Well, look at you you're right. I mean, he he did make the case painstakingly in the House of Commons.
Did George Parker see the sanctions as a surprise or a planned policy shift?
He uh uh Emma LeBand is uh a British Jew and he he explained that he he did this was not sort of uh intended to inflame anti-Semitism at all. Um, but it was a as a political decision that he'd taken with a sort of heavy heart. Um, did it work? Well, I mean, there are some people who have criticized him, including the Conservatives, claiming that this will inflame anti-Semitism. Which has sort of reared its ugly head in the UK recently. I think Ed Miliband will have been working very hard behind the scenes to make sure there was some international cover for what the UK did. So this was announced alongside the same measures being taken by Canada and France. So it was part of an international action. And I think, you know, it's a policy that on his own benches, the Labour benches, this is something they've been crying out for a long time for the government.
To take a more robust stance. And from a narrowly party political point of view, I'm not suggesting this is what was the prime motivation at all, but the Labour vote in the in the UK has been eaten away by the Green Party, which takes a very strongly pro Palestinian position. There's a by election coming up in London, vacated by Keir Starmer, where the Greens are going head to head with the Labour Party, so this won't help at all. Yeah. Won't hurt at all as far as domestic policies are concerned. I think.
I I found it really interesting to see a member of the Green Party at length in an interview last night, and I think it was uh Sky News, defending this and supporting it. It's it's just quite extraordinary to see essentially a member of the opposition, one of the opposition parties, being so supportive of of government policy.
Yeah, it was interesting. I mean, I think they were the Greens were saying that w they wish this had happened before, but this is, you know, broadly in line with exactly what the Green Party has been campaigning for. And it's been making a lot of headway in in lots of inner city areas in the UK with this strongly pro Palestinian position.
How are domestic UK politics and the Green Party influencing the sanctions decision?
So look, I mean, it's it covers an exposed political flank for the Labour Party for sure.
And are people concerned at what Israel might do in response now?
Um, well I mean the Israelis have d announced that they're going to close the British consulate in East Jerusalem. Um Are they concerned? I mean, that obviously that there will be concern about diplomatic pressure being ratcheted up.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What prompted the UK to impose sanctions on Israel over West Bank settlements?
0:01–1:37
2
Did George Parker see the sanctions as a surprise or a planned policy shift?
1:37–3:20
3
How are domestic UK politics and the Green Party influencing the sanctions decision?
3:20–4:36
4
What potential Israeli diplomatic responses are being discussed?
4:36–7:11
5
Why did Einat Wilf describe the Foreign Secretary’s ‘ethnic cleansing’ remarks as expected?
7:11–9:12
6
Is there evidence that Israeli leaders had prior knowledge of the Oct 7 attacks?
9:12–11:01
7
What arguments are presented about the viability of a two‑state solution?
11:01–12:38
8
How does the discussion address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and its broader implications?
12:38–12:47