Israel Slams UK Sanctions, Urges Britain to Rejoin Fight Against Terror

Israel's Prime Minister's Office spokesman, Doron Spielman, delivered a sharp rebuke to Britain on Sky News, countering recent sanctions imposed by London on Israeli settlements and companies. Spielman dismissed UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband's accusations as "absurd," asserting that Britain's stance on "illegal settlements" implies that "Jews should no longer be allowed to live in Judea." He highlighted that hundreds of thousands of Jews reside in Judea, living ordinary lives as workers, parents, and children.

While acknowledging instances of violence in Judea and Samaria, Spielman vehemently rejected any attempt to portray them as official Israeli policy or to ignore Palestinian criminal actions. "If Jews do it, we condemn them and hold them accountable. If Arabs do it, we hold them accountable too," he stated, emphasizing Israel's condemnation of all crimes regardless of the perpetrator's ethnicity. Spielman directly addressed Britain, urging it to "reclaim its historic courage" and stand with Israel against terrorism and the Iranian regime, rather than attacking it. He concluded by suggesting Britain could still choose to be the country it once was.

The diplomatic dispute escalated on Tuesday, September 8, when Britain announced import bans on goods from Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria, along with sanctions against individuals and companies involved in their development. Miliband also declared the UK's agreement with a UN assessment of "ethnic cleansing of Palestinians by settler terrorists" in the region, which he claimed Israel was ignoring. He warned that those contributing to illegal settlements would face the "full force of UK sanctions."

Israel responded swiftly the same day. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar ordered the closure of the British Consulate in Jerusalem, banned 12 British politicians from entering Israel, halted a British program training Palestinian Authority security forces, and removed UK representatives from a US-led Gaza coordination mechanism. Sa'ar characterized London's actions as "morally perverse" and Miliband's accusations as "outrageous lies."

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Miliband acknowledged Israel's strong reaction was anticipated but stated Britain could not "stand aside out of fear of Israel's reaction." He expressed a desire to maintain "prosperous relations with Israel" within recognized borders and dismissed concerns that the sanctions could endanger British Jews, stating that blaming British Jews for Israeli government actions would be "pure antisemitism."