UK and Allies Sanction Israeli West Bank Settlers

Britain, France, and Canada on Tuesday announced bans on trade and services linked to Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Israel responded with a set of countermeasures, including plans to close the British consulate in Jerusalem.

• 700,000-plus Israeli settlers now live in the West Bank, up from 260,000 in 1993.
• 9 additional countries pledged to support or adopt similar settlement trade restrictions.
• 12 elected UK officials will be barred from entering Israel under the countermeasures.
• The UK trade ban takes effect in six to nine months, Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said.

Why it matters: The sanctions are largely symbolic in economic terms, since West Bank settlements produce a small volume of mostly agricultural exports. The political signal — displeasure from longtime allies — is the primary weight of the move.

• Israel's E1 settlement plan, if built, would split the West Bank in two and sever it from East Jerusalem.
• 22 percent of Jewish Israelis support a two-state solution, per a June Council for a Secure America poll; 63 percent oppose it.

How 23 sources split on this story

Where they split: The core dispute is whether the sanctions represent meaningful pressure or a largely symbolic gesture that falls short of what the situation requires.

What’s next: US Ambassador Mike Huckabee warned the UK it could face retaliation from Washington and US states over the sanctions.

• Florida Republican Rep. Randy Fine warned British companies could lose access to Florida government contracts.
• Israel's Knesset elections are scheduled for October, with the settlement policy central to the campaign.
• Will US threats of retaliation deter other allies from joining the sanctions coalition?
• How broadly will the UK interpret 'services' under the ban — and will enforcement match the stated scope?
• Can settlement sanctions produce meaningful change in Israeli policy if the US does not participate?