By Alistair Smout and Muvija M
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain on Tuesday paused free trade talks with Israel, summoned its ambassador, and announced further sanctions against West Bank settlers as its foreign minister condemned a “monstrous” military escalation in Gaza.
The Israeli military announced the start of a new operation last week and medics in Gaza say Israeli strikes have killed more than 500 people in the past eight days.
Israel has also blocked the entry of medical, food and fuel supplies into Gaza since the start of March, prompting international experts to warn of looming famine, although some trucks were allowed to enter on Monday.
Foreign minister David Lammy said the offensive was “a dark new phase in this conflict”, called for Israel to end the blockade of aid and condemned comments by finance minister Bezalel Smotrich on the possible cleansing and destruction of Gaza and relocation of its residents to third countries.
“It is extremism. It is dangerous. It is repellent. It is monstrous, and I condemn it in the strongest possible terms,” a visibly angry Lammy told lawmakers, adding the operation in Gaza was “incompatible with the principles that underpin our bilateral relationship”.
“Today, I’m announcing that we have suspended negotiations with this Israeli government on a new free trade agreement.”
Israel said Britain had not advanced the trade talks, which started formally in 2022 under a previous Conservative British government, for some time.
“The British Mandate ended exactly 77 years ago,” a spokesperson for its foreign ministry said. “External pressure will not divert Israel from its path in defending its existence and security against enemies who seek its destruction.”
SELF-DEFENCE
Britain has said it is committed to Israel’s security and argues it has a right to self-defence following the deadly attack on Oct. 7, 2023, by Hamas.
However, Lammy said the new offensive would not secure the release of remaining hostages and that January’s ceasefire had shown the better path that Israel should follow.
Earlier Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was “horrified by the escalation” after issuing a joint statement with France and Canada. Lammy said Britain would take further action if Israel pursued its military offensive.
Netanyahu has said his country is engaged in a “war of civilization over barbarism” and vowed it would “continue to defend itself by just means until total victory.”
Israel’s ground and air war has devastated Gaza, displacing nearly its entire population and killing more than 53,000, according to Gaza health authorities.
Britain suspended 30 of its 350 arms export licences with Israel last year over the risk that equipment could be used in serious violations on international humanitarian law.
Britain on Tuesday also sanctioned a number of individuals and groups in the West Bank who it said had been linked with acts of violence against Palestinians, building on sanctions on a number of settlers and settler organisations imposed in 2024.
Most countries deem Jewish settlements built on land Israel occupied in a 1967 Middle East war as illegal, and their expansion has for decades been among the most contentious issues.
(Reporting by Muvija M, Sachin Ravikumar and Sarah Young, writing by Sam Tabahriti and Alistair Smout; Editing by Kate Holton and Conor Humphries)
