They have written an open letter to David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, and Jonathan Reynolds, the Trade Secretary of the United Kingdom, urging the imposition of this embargo in response to Tel Aviv’s genocidal war in Gaza and ongoing atrocities in the West Bank.
The MPs demand a halt to the import of settler-produced goods such as olive oil, wine, dates, oranges, and other products into the UK.
Among the signatories are Lord Bishop of Gloucester, Kit Malthouse, Con, Baroness Warsi, Con, Lord Peter Hain, Lab, Carla Denyer, Greens, Ben Lake, Plaid Cymru, Alistair Carmichael, Lib Dem, and Brendan O’ Hara, SNP.
They stated, “We believe that the only viable solution to decades of conflict must be based on respect for international law. In this regard, the UK has an obligation to ensure that its trade relations with Israel are consistent with its commitments to human rights and international law.”
“We consider that the UK’s existing trade and investment relationship with Israel currently falls short of the standards required and urge you to rectify this,” the letter read.
Legislator Brian Leishman, Alloa and Grangemouth (Labour) said Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet has acted with impunity, and the lack of action from the international community has been disgraceful.
He stressed that the UK should demonstrate international and moral leadership and put an end to trading goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements.
“The government’s rightful condemnation of settler violence and expansion rings hollow when it is seemingly willing to turn a blind eye to the import of illegal settlement goods.”
“A UK ban on the import of goods produced in whole or in part in the illegal settlements would be an essential first step towards complying with the country’s international obligations,” Tim Bierley, campaign manager at Global Justice Now, said.
More than 700,000 Israelis live in over 230 settlements built since the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and East al-Quds in 1967.
The international community deems these settlements illegal under international law and the Geneva Conventions.
The United Nations Security Council has also condemned Israel’s settlement activities in several resolutions.
