Israel's Foreign Minister Slams UK Sanctions as Election Interference

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar vehemently condemned Britain's imposition of sanctions against settlements in Judea and Samaria, labeling the move a "blatant attempt at interference during an election." Sa'ar announced a series of retaliatory measures against the United Kingdom, including the closure of the British Consulate in Jerusalem, the expulsion of British representatives from a headquarters in Kiryat Gat, and the cessation of British activity training Palestinian Authority forces in Ramallah.

Furthermore, Sa'ar declared that 12 British public officials involved in anti-Semitic and anti-Israel activities, who deny Israel's right to exist, would be barred from entering Israel. He drew a parallel between the British government's actions and the "White Paper" policies of the British Mandate era, referencing a historical British general's alleged anti-Semitic remark about punishing Jews financially.

Sa'ar criticized the boycott of goods from Judea and Samaria as a "despicable practice" targeting law-abiding citizens and called sanctions against those developing settlements "abhorrent." He accused the British Labour government of selectively applying boycott and BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) tactics against the Jewish state, constituting discrimination.

The British sanctions, announced by Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband in Parliament, include an import ban on settlement goods and a new sanctions regime against companies and individuals supporting settlement expansion. Britain has equated Judea and Samaria with entities like Iran and Hezbollah in its sanctions list. This British initiative has garnered support from several other countries, including France, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden, aiming to create an international front to exert economic pressure on Israeli settlements.