UK to announce a trade ban on Israeli West Bank goods

LONDON, Sept 8 (Reuters) – Britain will announce a trade ban on goods made in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank later on Tuesday, confirmed a senior minister, as part of the UK’s efforts to support a two-state solution.

Six weeks into his new job, foreign minister Ed Miliband flagged last week that he was looking at resetting Britain’s policy on Israel, and he is due to make a statement on Israel and trading restrictions in the House of Commons.

Britain’s new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, also in office since July, spoke to U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday to stress the “the importance of the two-state solution”, in what is seen as a reference to the sanctions.

Miliband said last week that Israel’s E1 settlement project in the West Bank would cut across land which the Palestinians seek for a state, putting at risk the two-state solution.

Asked about how the trade ban would operate, pensions minister Pat McFadden did not give details.

“The foreign secretary will make a statement to Parliament later today,” McFadden told Times Radio.

“The reason that danger has become more urgent is because of expanded settlement activity in recent weeks and months.”

U.N. bodies and most governments, including Britain, consider Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, and regard the West Bank as territory under Israeli military occupation.

Israel argues that the territory is disputed rather than occupied, and asserts that Jews have a historical right to the land.

The Israeli prime minister’s office and the foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

(Reporting by Sarah Young in London and Alexander Cornwell in Jerusalem, Editing by Paul Sandle)