Omar Barghouti, the co-founder of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement, has called on the UK to cease all trade with Israel, emphasizing that the country has a legal and ethical obligation to act against what he describes as genocide in Gaza. He criticized current sanctions against individual settler groups and extremist ministers as mere distractions from the UK's responsibilities under international law.

Context

Barghouti's remarks come in light of a promise made by British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband to introduce a "comprehensive reset" of the UK’s policy on Israel. Reports indicate that the UK government is preparing to ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Miliband has expressed opposition to the proposed E1 settlement, which would involve the construction of 3,400 houses in a contentious area of the West Bank, stating that it threatens the viability of a two-state solution.

Developments

  • Miliband has stated that the government is exploring ways to prevent British companies from financing or constructing new settlements.
  • The Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council have warned that a ban on trade with settlements could exacerbate antisemitism in the UK.
  • Conversely, the group Yachad has met with Miliband to express concerns about the ongoing occupation and its implications for British Jews.