UK Halts Trade Talks, Sanctions Israeli Settlers over Gaza Offensive/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The UK has suspended trade talks with Israel and imposed new sanctions over Israel’s West Bank actions. Foreign Secretary David Lammy condemned the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and called for an immediate ceasefire. Britain joins France and Canada in warning of further consequences if Israel escalates.
UK Sanctions Israel Quick Looks
- UK suspends free trade negotiations with Israel.
- Britain imposes sanctions on West Bank settlers and organizations.
- Foreign Secretary David Lammy calls Gaza blockade “indefensible.”
- Ambassador Tzipi Hotovely summoned to UK Foreign Office.
- PM Keir Starmer joins Macron, Carney in joint ceasefire plea.
- UK, France, and Canada threaten “concrete actions” against Israel.
- Israel faces global backlash after 11-week aid blockade.
- Over 53,000 Palestinians killed since war began, health officials say.
- UN says aid reaching Gaza is “a drop in the ocean.”
- France may recognize Palestine, reevaluate EU-Israel cooperation.
Deep Look: UK Ends Trade Talks and Sanctions Israeli Settlers Over Gaza Offensive
LONDON, May 20, 2025 — The United Kingdom has suspended free trade talks with Israel and announced new sanctions on West Bank settlers and groups involved in violence, marking the strongest rebuke yet from a key ally over Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
The British government’s move came just one day after it joined France and Canada in a coordinated warning to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Israel’s escalating military actions and ongoing blockade of aid to Gaza, which the United Nations has described as having pushed the enclave to the brink of famine.
UK’s Foreign Secretary Denounces Humanitarian Crisis
Speaking on Tuesday, Foreign Secretary David Lammy labeled the humanitarian conditions in Gaza as “abominable,” and accused Israel of pursuing “egregious policies” in both Gaza and the West Bank.
“The world is judging,” Lammy said. “History will judge them. Blocking aid. Expanding the war. Dismissing the concerns of your friends and partners. This is indefensible. And it must stop.”
Lammy announced fresh sanctions targeting:
- Three individuals involved in settler violence
- Two illegal Israeli outposts
- Two organizations that support attacks on Palestinian communities
He added that Israel’s current government was actively supporting illegal settlement expansion, further exacerbating tensions and destabilizing any path toward peace.
Israeli Ambassador Summoned
Israeli Ambassador to the UK Tzipi Hotovely was summoned to the Foreign Office, where Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer was expected to formally denounce the 11-week aid blockade as “cruel and indefensible.”
This diplomatic action represents a significant deterioration in UK-Israel relations amid growing global frustration with Israel’s refusal to ease humanitarian restrictions or commit to a ceasefire.
Starmer Joins Macron and Carney in Unified Pressure
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney issued a joint statement on Monday, condemning Israel’s handling of the war in Gaza and its actions in the West Bank.
“We’re horrified by the escalation from Israel,” said Starmer, who emphasized that the suffering of children in Gaza was “utterly intolerable.”
The leaders warned that “concrete actions” would follow if Israel did not:
- Cease its military offensive
- Significantly ease restrictions on humanitarian aid
- Work toward freeing hostages held by Hamas
Netanyahu dismissed the joint statement, calling it “a huge prize for Hamas.”
Mounting Death Toll and Humanitarian Alarm
Since the war began on October 7, 2023, with a Hamas attack that killed 1,200 Israelis and took 251 hostages, Israel has responded with massive airstrikes and ground assaults. Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that over 53,000 Palestinians—many of them women and children—have been killed in the conflict.
According to the UN, Israel’s recent decision to let aid trucks into Gaza is inadequate. UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher called it “a drop in the ocean of what is urgently needed.”
France Pushes Recognition of Palestine
France has taken the lead among European allies in pushing for a broader political resolution. Macron recently hinted that France may move to formally recognize a Palestinian state as early as June, during an international summit co-hosted with Saudi Arabia.
France is also considering whether the European Union should revisit its cooperation agreements with Israel.
Macron’s call to suspend weapons deliveries to Israel has already strained Paris’s relationship with Netanyahu, prompting a diplomatic spat late last year.
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