Britain is "seriously considering" imposing a trade ban on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, in what pro-Palestine campaigners have described as "a major victory".
The announcement came during a backbench House of Commons debate on Thursday evening, secured by Labour MP Abtisam Mohamed, to examine Britain's trade relations with illegal settlements and the potential impact of a ban.
Responding to MPs, Chris Bryant, Minister of State at the Department for Business and Trade, confirmed that the government is reviewing four measures he described as "key" to implementing a ban "directly targeting illegal settlements ".
During the two-and-a-half-hour session, Bryant outlined that the proposed measures cover four areas: banning imports of goods from settlements into the UK market; banning exports of goods to settlements; banning exports of services to settlements; and banning imports of services from settlements into Britain.
Rewarding Israel and punishing Palestinians
At the start of the debate, Mohamed said that 32,000 constituents had contacted their MPs to stress the importance of addressing what she described as a critical issue.
She questioned, "Why, if Britain considers the settlements illegal, why have we not imposed a complete ban on trade with them?"
"Maintaining the status quo," she warned, "rewards Israeli expansion while punishing Palestinian aspirations".
She also criticised expectations that Palestinians should "silently accept that their humanity, their rights, and their right to self-determination always come second".
In his opening remarks, Bryant urged the Israeli government to "immediately allow" humanitarian aid into Gaza "so that the people of Gaza can breathe and live", while also calling for adherence to a ceasefire.
He described the settlements as "morally wrong, legally indefensible, and entirely counterproductive when it comes to achieving a two-state solution".
Bryant noted that Britain has "strengthened the implementation of customs differentiation measures" between goods originating in Israel and those produced in illegal settlements, but acknowledged that the approach "is not effective enough".
He said this lack of effectiveness represents "one of the fundamental problems we face now and in the future".
Challenges facing a potential ban
The minister also stated that "we as a government have a legal obligation not to provide any support or assistance to the occupation", adding that this creates "the need to prevent British companies from providing economic support and legitimacy to illegal settlements".
Bryant stressed that any potential measures must "strike a balance" between restricting settlement trade and allowing British businesses and consumers to benefit from legitimate trade with Israel and the Palestinian territories.
While he acknowledged that implementing a ban across the four sectors presents "challenges", several MPs criticised him, accusing the government of seeking "excuses" to avoid meaningful action.
He rejected this characterisation, reiterating that the government is giving the proposals "serious" consideration. "The important thing is that where challenges exist, we must overcome them, not use them as an excuse for inaction," he said.
On the legal front, Bryant added that he did not consider the obstacles "insurmountable", stating: "We are seriously considering the shape of a trade ban that directly targets illegal settlements."
Pressed by MPs on whether any concrete steps had been taken, including meetings or timelines, Bryant said only that he had "asked officials for advice on how to proceed".
He emphasised that any measures adopted "must be enforceable and effective, and must not have unintended consequences for our legitimate trade", citing medicines produced within the Green Line as an example.
"The worst thing that could happen," he added, "is to adopt measures that are morally driven but ineffective or unenforceable".
Conservatives defend Israel
The Conservative Party, the largest opposition group in Parliament, strongly defended Israel’s position during the debate.
Gareth Davies, Shadow Minister for Trade, argued that the suspension of UK-Israel trade talks had harmed bilateral relations and "significantly reduced our ability to influence the situation in the region".
He said the Conservatives believe Britain’s influence "has diminished to this extent because of a series of wrong decisions", including halting trade talks "while Hamas was still holding hostages after the 7 October attacks" and suspending export licences "while Israel was burying hostages who had been brutally torn away from their loved ones".
Meanwhile, veteran MP Jeremy Corbyn, now leader of the Your Party movement, cited International Court of Justice rulings calling for "steps to prevent trade or investment relations that help maintain the unlawful situation created by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territories".
He added that the court had urged states to "refrain from entering into economic or trade dealings with Israel concerning the occupied Palestinian territories or parts thereof that may entrench its unlawful presence in those territories".
Following the debate, Mohamed described the outcome as "a major victory" for pro-Palestine campaigners in the UK.
In a post on X, she said the government was "considering imposing a ban on goods and services linked to Israeli settlements ", calling the announcement "exactly" what she and others had been advocating.
Pro-Palestine groups in Britain are continuing to push for a broader economic boycott of Israel , including ending military, security, and intelligence cooperation, in response to what they describe as acts of genocide committed in Gaza since 7 October 2023.
Article translated from Arabic by Afrah Almatwari. To read the original, click here .