Sheffield MPs say Government is "correcting injustice" with new sanctions on Israeli settlements
“This is long overdue, but it is never too late to correct injustice”
MPs in Sheffield have celebrated news that new sanctions will be placed on Israeli settlements in the West Bank, as the Foreign Secretary calls out “ethnic cleansing” in the war-torn region.
In an announcement in Parliament on Tuesday (September 8), Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said that the UK will introduce sanctions to ban goods from Israeli settlements and act against companies and individuals providing services for settlement expansion.
The UK joins 11 nations, including France and Canada, who have announced similar sanctions after the UN released a report claiming that Israel had forcibly displaced over 33,000 Palestinians from refugee camps in the north of the conflicted region.
Announcing the sanctions, Mr Miliband said: “The British government agrees that there is ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in areas of the West Bank, perpetrated by settler terrorists.
"And all too often the Israeli government has turned a blind eye to this and worse, members of it have made statements and taken actions to support the forced displacement of Palestinians.”
Sheffield Central MP Abtisam Mohamed, who has long been outspoken about the issues in the West Bank, celebrated what she called the “long overdue” announcement.
“Before recess I led the Commons debate on our trade with illegal Israeli settlements and I pressed the Government to act,” she added.
“Today it has. The UK's position on Palestine has been reset: the occupation declared illegal, settlement goods banned and sanctions on those financing expansion.
“This is long overdue, but it is never too late to correct injustice.”
Her sentiments were shared by other MPs across the city, including Brightside and Hillsborough’s Gill Furniss who described it as “taking action to defend the viability of a two-state solution”.
Sheffield Hallam MP Olivia Blake echoed this, saying: “We take these steps because international law, human rights and justice must be at the heart of any lasting peace.
“This Labour government must stand up for our values, for international law, and a viable and peaceful future for both Palestinians and Israelis.”
In response to the news, the Israeli Government has closed down the UK consulate in Jerusalem and released a list of 11 MPs - including Jeremy Corbyn and Diane Abbott - who are banned from travelling to the country.
Clive Betts, MP for Sheffield South East, said the Government are “doing the right thing” but called on restrictions to come into force sooner.
“In addition the UK Government are also banning arms sales that contribute to the illegal occupation of the West Bank alongside the previous arms sale bans for weapons used in military operations in Gaza,” he added.
“In the Commons I did ask the Foreign Secretary to go faster on this. The Netherlands are imposing sanctions within two months whereas it is going to take the UK nine months.
“This should move faster and I welcome the commitment to see if this can be in place sooner if possible.”