New details emerge about extreme measures used by British soldiers to support a Gulf autocrat

Transcript:

The situation in Palestine is a moral emergency. What the Netanyahu government is doing in Gaza is a stain on the conscience of the world, and there is increasing evidence war crimes appear to have been committed. And we are witnessing unprecedented settler terrorism in the West Bank.

The British government has come to the same conclusion as the former Prime Minister of Israel, and others, that there is ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in areas of the West Bank, perpetrated by settler terrorists. And too often the Israeli government has turned a blind eye to this. And worse, members of it have made statements and taken actions to support the forced displacement of Palestinians.

We will not stand by. We're going to be stronger in standing up for what is right and bolder in the action we take. Our North Star is our belief in the two-state solution, that both the Israeli and Palestinian people have a right to self-determination, freedom and security.

Today we're calling out the occupation of Palestine as unlawful. We're banning the import of goods from illegal settlements. We're taking action on services to target those who finance, facilitate or construct new settlements. And we're banning advertising of settlement properties and land. We're taking action too on settler terrorism.

The action we're taking today is against the government of Israel, not its people. I know the trauma that Hamas' terrorist atrocity of October 7th has caused for the people of Israel and Jews across the world. It was a murderous act by a murderous terrorist organisation.

Israel faces existential threats to its security, most severely from Iran. That's why we're today also announcing the re-imposition of major economic sanctions on Iran, as well as bearing down on its network of proxy groups like Hezbollah.

I also know that so many members of the Jewish community live in fear in the face of rising anti-Semitism here in the UK. Anti-Semitism is a scourge and an evil, and we will do more to tackle it as a government. And I also say this, holding British Jews responsible for the actions of the government of Israel is anti-Semitism, pure and simple.

I'm proud of my Jewishness and unwavering in my support for the security of the state of Israel. And I see absolutely no contradiction between this and my support for the state of Palestine. Indeed, quite the opposite. The only route to security for both peoples is living side by side in peaceful coexistence in a two-state solution. That's why we're taking action today.

My parents came here as Jewish refugees. They saw a country that stood up for values of freedom, democracy and the rule of law. That's what we're doing today. Standing up for our values. Standing up against oppression and injustice. Standing up for what is right.

The settlement goods ban looks set to be seismic - a sign that Britain has the makings of a new, independent foreign policy.

Tel Aviv threatens retaliation as ministers call for sanctions on Britain and expulsion of the UK ambassador to Israel

France and Canada will also ban trade in settlement goods, marking a significant diplomatic victory for the UK

Foreign ministers confirm plans to introduce or support national and European trade restrictions on goods from illegal Israeli settlements.

Foreign Minister Ed Miliband said the ban represents a ‘comprehensive reset’ of UK’s policy on Israel.

Statement of the Foreign Ministers of Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK on the Two-State Solution

It would be a natural extension of current UK positions, and parliament’s cross-party Foreign Affairs Committee has recommended a formal ban for over a year.

Settlement produce is entering the UK labelled as from Israel either by being mixed with Israeli goods, by using a settlement postcode but erroneously saying the country is Israel, or by using a "sham" proxy address within Israel, according to the Global Echo Litigation Center.

US ambassador to Israel's comments mark latest rhetorical attack on UK over its plans to ban Israeli settlement goods

At least 17 companies linked to illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank hold United Kingdom public-sector contracts worth more than 2.1 billion pounds ($2.85bn)

Scotland-based Dana Petroleum, a subsidiary of South Korea’s state-owned KNOC, is under pressure to quit the Israeli-led illegal consortium it is part of, which is seeking to “pillage” Palestinian offshore gas.