Settlers Denounce UK Sanctions on West Bank Products

Settlement leaders in the West Bank have sharply criticized a decision by the United Kingdom and other countries to impose trade restrictions on products originating from Judea and Samaria. Organizations like Regavim and local council heads accused London of blatant interference in Israeli sovereignty, asserting that the era of the British Mandate has ended. They called on the Israeli government to respond with strong measures and by expanding settlements.

The Regavim movement condemned the British decision, stating that instead of addressing its own internal issues, the UK is arrogantly intervening in Israeli sovereignty. They drew parallels to historical British policies, referencing the closure of Palestine's gates to Jews before World War II and what they termed a nearly century-long anti-Semitic and hostile policy. The movement also criticized ongoing British funding for Palestinian activities in the West Bank and demanded an immediate halt to all foreign interference.

Dov Shפלer, head of the Efrat local council, emphasized that residents of the West Bank do not require British approval to live or develop their homes. He argued that boycotts and sanctions would not weaken the settlements but rather reinforce their importance. Shפלer urged the Israeli government to respond by transferring the heritage site of Solomon's Pools to full Israeli control, rectifying what he called the historical injustice of the Oslo Accords.

Israel Gantz, chairman of the Yesha Council and head of the Binyamin regional council, labeled the British decision a despicable anti-Semitic act. He asserted that the days when London dictated where Jews could live in the Land of Israel are over. Gantz accused Britain of assembling a coalition of pro-Palestinian countries to wage economic war against Jews in the West Bank and called for offsetting any damage to Israel and its residents with funds from the Palestinian Authority. He concluded by stating that attempts to harm the settlement enterprise would fail and would be met with increased construction, new settlements, and the application of Israeli sovereignty.