British politicians call for economic steps against Israel on annexation

“The annexation of occupied territory is in violation of international law as set out in UN Security Council Resolutions,” a House of Lords committee has said.

By TOVAH LAZAROFF
A general view at the House of Lords in London, Britain January 21, 2020. (photo credit: REUTERS/KIRSTY WIGGLESWORTH/POOL)
A general view at the House of Lords in London, Britain January 21, 2020.
(photo credit: REUTERS/KIRSTY WIGGLESWORTH/POOL)
The United Kingdom should take action against Israel economically by placing new limits on the preferential-trade agreement between the two countries, the British House of Lords’ International Relations and Defense Committee said on Tuesday.
It raised concerns over Israel’s pending plan to annex West Bank settlements, in a letter sent to the British Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa, the Rt Hon. James Cleverly.
“The annexation of occupied territory is in violation of international law as set out in UN Security Council Resolutions,” the letter stated.
The UK has been outspoken in its opposition to the plan and has stood alongside the most vocal European countries which have also condemned any such move.
On Tuesday night, the EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters that the 27-member states were divided on the matter and thus it was hard at this moment to take action.
The UK, however, is no longer bound by EU foreign policy. The Chair of the International Relations and Defense Committee, Baroness Anelay of St. John’s, asked Cleverly to confirm that the UK has not changed its position and stood behind the status quo resolution to the conflict. This is support for a two-state solution at the pre-1967 lines, unless both Israelis and Palestinians came to an alternative arrangement.
Anelay also asked Cleverly what action the UK had planned to take to jump-start the peace process.
Lastly she asked, “If Israel does proceed with its planned annexation, what would be the consequences for its preferential access to the UK market as set out in the UK-Israel trade and Partnership Agreement? How would the UK distinguish between the legal and illegal products in order to provide preferential access only for legal Israeli exports to the UK?”
Earlier this week at a House of Commons debate Cleverly spoke out on the matter in response to questions, stating his deep concern with regard to the move.
“Any unilateral move toward annexation of parts of the West Bank by Israel would be damaging to efforts to restart the peace process, contradictory to international law and might make the chances of a sustainable two state solution harder,” he said.
Cleverly added however, that “We continue to have a constructive relationship both with the government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority.” The UK will continue to work toward a peaceful two-state resolution of the conflict, he said.
Annexation could make it more difficult to sustain a two-state solution. We support actions by the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority that take us closer to a sustainable two state solution and we express our concerns about anything that might put that at risk,” he said.
Earlier this month 127 British members of parliament wrote a letter to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson asking him to take action.
In their letter they spoke of their “outrage” over the plan. “Our government has stated that any annexation ‘cannot go unchallenged.
The government must now make clear publicly that any annexation will have severe consequences including sanctions. Words are not enough. Prime Minister Netanyahu has ignored our words. We need to prevent his government from setting this alarmingly dangerous precedent in international relations,” they stated.
The Palestinian Authority has embarked on an international campaign to halt the pending annexation and plans to bring up the matter at the monthly UN Security Council meeting on the Middle East slated to take place next week.


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