We welcome the UK Foreign Secretary’s announcement that it will bring further sanctions against settler entities and individuals enabling settler violence in the West Bank.
Settler violence is not a handful of individual incidents but a daily and systemic method of making life impossible for Palestinians in the West Bank, and far too many Palestinians have lost their lives as the perpetrators go unpunished and, in many cases, are supported by the government and the IDF.
This violence has led to Palestinians leaving their land as more and more settlements and outposts are built. Settler leaders and members of the Israeli government have made their goal clear: displacement, occupation and annexation.
The UK government has also announced that it will explicitly advise businesses against economic and financial activity in illegal settlements. This is coupled with financial support for the Palestinian Authority and people in Gaza.
We must be absolutely clear that this is not anti-Israel. On the contrary, it makes a clear distinction between the legitimate State of Israel and the illegal settlements.
We would urge the government to continue taking further action and to consider the letter signed by over 200 Members of Parliament calling for a ban on trade with illegal settlements.
Annexation is already in progress. The international community has a duty to do whatever it can to stop it if it wants to see a political resolution to this conflict. Extremists are dragging Israelis and Palestinians further into the abyss. Courageous leadership has never been more necessary.