London presents Israel with a tough choice - Britain prepares a strike

The United Kingdom is developing sanctions against Israel over its activities in Judea and Samaria. The sanctions law is being finalized, which will take six to nine months. The most powerful tool could be sanctions against banks and insurance companies that do business with settlements. The final plan will depend on the actions of the new Israeli government after the elections.

The United Kingdom has presented Israel with a tough choice by developing sanctions over its activities in Judea and Samaria. Two weeks ago, Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced an expansion of measures. The sanctions law is being finalized, which will take six to nine months. Measures include a ban on importing goods from settlements and sanctions against companies financing settlement construction. The most powerful tool could be sanctions against banks and insurance companies that do business with settlements. The final plan will depend on the actions of the new Israeli government after the Knesset elections, expected next month. British officials want to avoid unintended consequences for economic relations. Dror Strum, former head of the Israel Competition Authority, noted that sanctions against banks would become a serious problem due to London's ties as one of the world's largest financial centers. There is a risk that foreign companies will begin to avoid Israeli goods altogether due to the difficulty of tracking supply chains.