Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has stated that Israel will retaliate if the United Kingdom imposes sanctions over the potential expansion of settlements in the West Bank. The warning comes as the UK's Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced a "comprehensive reset" of policy on Israel.
Miliband, addressing Parliament for the first time as foreign secretary, indicated that the UK government would examine how to prevent British companies from "financing, constructing or advertising new settlements" in the occupied West Bank. He described plans to expand settlements as "illegal under international law" and stated they represented "the crossing of a red line" that could make a Palestinian state unviable.
Last month, Israel opened tenders for approximately 1,200 settlement homes in the E1 area, a strategically significant zone east of Jerusalem. These plans have faced widespread international condemnation, as the development would effectively divide the West Bank and isolate East Jerusalem.
Responding to the potential UK actions, Saar told the Hebrew-language news website Ynet, "If Britain acts against Israel, Israel will act against Britain." He added, "If they act, I think they will be making a big mistake." All Israeli settlements are considered illegal under international law, and decades of global pressure had previously led Israel to halt plans for construction in the E1 area.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham also expressed concern that Israel's statements regarding the E1 area could jeopardize the two-state solution in the Middle East.