Paul Adams: British-Israeli relations at lowest ebb in decades

What the report says

Israel has reacted sharply to the UK and 11 other countries moving to restrict trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, a step that BBC diplomatic correspondent Paul Adams says marks a major shift in British policy on Israel-Palestine. The measures also cover companies linked to settlement construction, infrastructure or finance, and include limits on arms sales that materially support the occupation. The move follows London’s acceptance of the 2024 International Court of Justice view that the occupation, including Israel’s military presence, is unlawful.

According to the BBC, the Israeli response has included the closure of the UK consulate in East Jerusalem and the removal of British representatives from the International Gaza Support Centre. Adams describes those steps as unusually hostile and says they show how seriously Israel views the new policy. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, speaking as a British Jew and long-time supporter of Israel, argued that UK economic ties should reflect the legal and political position now adopted by his government.

The BBC says the decision has been welcomed by Palestinian officials, who see it as a possible turning point, while Israeli leaders and many Israelis view it as an attack on their country’s legitimacy. More broadly, the story places the move in the context of long-running international criticism of settlements, rising settler violence in the West Bank, and growing pressure on Israel from several countries. Adams concludes that the dispute leaves British-Israeli relations at their weakest point in decades.