A United Nations special rapporteur on occupied territories has called the UK’s upcoming ban on goods from Israeli settlements a necessary but insufficient measure, warning it must deliver real-world consequences to avoid being dismissed as mere rhetoric. The move follows the UK foreign secretary’s pledge to take stronger action against settlements and Gaza aid restrictions, sparking a diplomatic backlash from the US ambassador to Israel, who accused the government of anti-Semitic motivations. Critics argue the ban’s effectiveness hinges on enforcement, while supporters see it as a long-overdue challenge to settlement expansion. The controversy underscores deepening tensions over international responses to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Exclusive: UN special rapporteur on occupied territories says ban on goods from settlements ‘important’ but must go further if it is to amount to more than a ‘press release’The UK’s planned ban on trade with unlawful Israeli settlements is a welcome, if overdue, first step and must be judged according to its practical impact, a UN expert has told the Guardian.The UK foreign secretary, Ed Miliband, has vowed to act more decisively against Israeli settlements, as well as continued restrictions of aid into Gaza, prompting the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, to claim on Saturday that Downing Street was motivated by “Jew hatred”. Continue reading...
