UK ready to impose further sanctions on Israel after trade talks suspended over 'indefensible' Gaza blockade
21 May 2025, 00:35 | Updated: 21 May 2025, 02:02
The UK is ready to impose harsh sanctions on notable Israeli figures in the wake of suspended trade negotiations over the ongoing blockade on aid into Gaza.
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Word of harsher sanctions on key members of Netanyahu's government comes hours after the UK labelled Israel's blockade "cruel and indefensible".
Reports suggest the UK, alongside a number of foreign allies, are poised to impose sanctions on senior members of the Israeli government.
The plans which are currently being drawn up are said to target key Israeli figures, including Bezalel Smotrich, Israel's finance minister, national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and defence minister Israel Katz, The Times has reported.
The latest escalation of sanctions against the Israeli state, the news follows a Dutch proposal to review the bloc’s trade deal with Israel - a plan backed by the majority of EU member states earlier this week.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy told the Commons on Tuesday: “We have suspended negotiations with this Israeli government on a new free trade agreement.
He went on to confirm the government was tabling sanctions against Israeli ministers, adding: “We keep these issues under review.”
It comes amid reports that Donald Trump is becoming increasingly impatient with Netanyahu over the blockade and Israel's refusal to end the war.
“We will be reviewing co-operation with them under the 2030 bilateral roadmap.“
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"The Netanyahu government’s actions have made this necessary.”
He later said the Israeli government will be “held to account” if it does not act, telling the Commons he recognised that “expressing disgust is not sufficient”.
Israeli ambassador Tzipi Hotovely has also been summoned to the Foreign Office by Middle East minister Hamish Falconer, who will tell her the aid blockade has been "cruel and indefensible".
It comes as the UK announced fresh sanctions targeting three individuals, two illegal settler outposts and two organisations supporting violence against Palestinian communities in the West Bank.
Mr Falconer said: "Today I will set out to Ambassador Hotovely the government’s opposition to the wholly disproportionate escalation of military activity in Gaza and emphasise that the 11-week block on aid to Gaza has been cruel and indefensible.
"I will urge Israel to halt settlement expansion and settler violence in the West Bank.Israel must abide by its obligations under International Humanitarian Law and ensure full, rapid, safe and unhindered provision of humanitarian assistance to the population in Gaza."
He warned that the limited amount of aid entering Gaza right now "is simply not enough."
"We must get an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages and a path to a two-state solution is the only way to ensure the long-term peace and security of both Palestinians and Israelis," he added.
The UK government's public condemnation marks a significant departure from its previous position.
In a joint statement on Tuesday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer issued a joint statement condemning Netanyahu’s “egregious” actions in Gaza, warning that the UK and allies will take “concrete actions”
Along with French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian premier Mark Carney, he called for a halt to Israel’s military offensive and an end to restrictions on humanitarian aid.
The statement read: “We strongly oppose the expansion of Israel’s military operations in Gaza. The level of human suffering in Gaza is intolerable.
“Yesterday’s announcement that Israel will allow a basic quantity of food into Gaza is wholly inadequate.”They said the Israeli government’s denial of aid “is unacceptable and risks breaching international humanitarian law”.
“We condemn the abhorrent language used recently by members of the Israeli government, threatening that, in their despair at the destruction of Gaza, civilians will start to relocate.
“Permanent forced displacement is a breach of international humanitarian law.”
The leaders called on Hamas to release the hostages it took in the “heinous attack” on October 7, 2023.
“We have always supported Israel’s right to defend Israelis against terrorism,” the three leaders said.“ But this escalation is wholly disproportionate.”
They warned that “we will not stand by while the Netanyahu government pursues these egregious actions.
“If Israel does not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid, we will take further concrete actions in response.”
Sir Richard Dalton, the former British ambassador to Iran, told James Hanson on LBC News he welcomes the UK suspending trade talks with Israel, and has called for the Government to go further.
“What Israel is doing is an affront to the values of the British people, he said.
“The welcome suspension of trade talks with Israel should be extended, as I say, to a gradual withdrawal of the privileges they have under existing agreements.”
"There should also be a ban on trade with settlements and further concrete action to oppose the policy of settlement and apartheid, which Israel practises in the west bank and elsewhere.”
The leaders' statement came just hours after Israel’s military confirmed the first trucks carrying aid had entered the region late on Monday afternoon, but the United Nations has warned it is just a “drop in the ocean.”
The 11-week blockade had sparked fears of famine and mass starvation.
Tom Fletcher, the UN’s under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, said: “There are 14,000 babies that will die in the next 48 hours unless we can reach them.
“I want to save as many as these 14,000 babies as we can in the next 48 hours.”
He urges that “we need to flood the Gaza Strip with humanitarian aid."
He called the figure of 14,000 "utterly chilling".
Flour, baby food and medical supplies were among the essential items included in the first wave of aid shipments on Monday.
