UK Foreign Secretary Miliband said last week that he would announce a “comprehensive reset” of the British government’s policy on Israel.
By Shula Rosen
Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee condemned expected British trade sanctions targeting Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria, with Herzog warning Tuesday that the measures would be a “grave miscalculation” and Smotrich calling for the British ambassador’s expulsion.
UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband is expected to outline the measures in the Commons on Tuesday, potentially including restrictions on trade in agricultural products from Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria.
Miliband said last week that he would announce a “comprehensive reset” of the British government’s policy on Israel.
Herzog warned that sanctions imposed by Britain or other European countries would place them “on the wrong side of history” and economically hurt both Israelis and Palestinians.
He said the measures would amount to “gross interference” in the elections of a sovereign nation and would “directly harm, unfortunately, Palestinians, robbing them of business and employment.”
“Sanctions are not a solution,” Herzog said. “Dialogue is.”
Smotrich issued a sharper response Monday night following reports of the expected British measures.
“Expel the British ambassador tonight!” Smotrich posted on X. “The British Mandate in the Land of Israel is over.”
Smotrich said Israel would not be “a doormat trampled by an antisemitic government” and described Britain as “a country conquered by radical Islam, trying to save itself from economic and social decline by attacking Jews and the State of Israel.”
Huckabee also criticized the expected policy, accusing Britain of discriminating against Israel and Jews.
“I feel like it’s discrimination against the Israeli government. It is discrimination against the Jewish people, and I don’t understand the rationale of it,” Huckabee told BBC Radio 4’s Today program.
“It’s like throwing a stone and not having an idea of where it’s going to land,” Huckabee added. “The UK is a sovereign country; they can do what they want, but so is the US.”
The Israeli government has warned it would retaliate if sanctions are introduced.
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