Diplomats, MI6 warned UK gov't on Israel sanctions - report
Senior British diplomats and MI6 officials warned the UK government against imposing sanctions on Israel, advising to wait until after Israel's October 27 election, according to The Spectator. The UK leads 12 countries in sanctioning Israeli settlements. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband and PM Andy Burnham proceeded despite warnings that sanctions could boost Netanyahu's campaign by providing an external enemy. MI6 warned of possible damage to intelligence cooperation with Israel. The package includes a ban on imports from settlements, stricter defense export controls, and sanctions on five individuals.
Senior British diplomats and MI6 officials warned the UK government against imposing sanctions on Israel, advising to wait until after Israel's October 27 election, according to a report in The Spectator. The UK is leading a group of eleven European countries plus Canada in sanctioning Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband contacted Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar on August 11 to inform him sanctions were coming. Sa'ar asked Miliband to wait until after the election. The UK ambassador to Israel, Simon Walters, explicitly warned against hasty action. Jonathan Powell, the UK prime minister's security adviser, found himself on the losing side. The fear was that sanctions could provide Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with an external enemy during a difficult election campaign. MI6 warned that a possible outcome was damage to intelligence cooperation with Israel. British intelligence sources said it would be hard to replace Israel's capabilities in the Middle East. A Labour Party source who spoke to senior people in Qatar, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia said none thought the move would boost British influence. Miliband and Burnham decided to proceed with the sanctions announcement nevertheless. The package includes a ban on imports from settlements, stricter defense export controls, and sanctions on five people allegedly involved in incitement or violence against Palestinians.