Israel’s ambassador has been told that the UK will not “stand by” amid escalating military operations in Gaza as the relationship with Benjamin Netanyahu’s government deteriorates.
Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer called ambassador Tzipi Hotovely in to the Foreign Office on Tuesday to set out the UK’s opposition to Israel’s 11-week block on aid into Gaza and its escalation of military activity.
“I made clear the UK’s opposition to expanded military operations in Gaza and rising violence and intimidation by Israeli settlers against Palestinian communities in the West Bank.
“The UK will not stand by as this happens,” Falconer posted on X after speaking with her.
Hamish Falconer speaks during a Security Council meeting at the United Nations headquarters, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
The UK suspended trade deal talks with Israel, sanctioned West Bank settlers and summoned the country’s ambassador on Tuesday in a bid to ramp up pressure.
Jewish News understands the government is now considering with other countries plans to sanction key figures in Netanyahu’s government, including finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and defence minister Israel Katz.
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert described Israel’s actions in Gaza as being “very close to a war crime” in an interview with the BBC on Wednesday.
Olmert, PM from 2006 to 2009, said Netanyahu’s government were waging “a war without a purpose – a war without a chance of achieving anything that can save the lives of the hostages.”
He said that the “obvious appearance” of the campaign was that Israel was killing many Palestinians, and that “from every point of view, this is obnoxious and outrageous.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy told MPs on Tuesday the statements of Israeli ministers would be kept under review.
Lammy had earlier hit out at the renewed military offensive in the Gaza strip and the restrictions on aid to the population of the territory, describing Israel’s actions as “monstrous”.
He also condemned the actions of “extremist” settlers in the West Bank, saying Netanyahu’s administration has a responsibility to intervene to halt their actions.
Gideon Sa’ar, right, meets David Lammy in Jerusalem on Jan. 12, 2024. (Photo by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel)
As MPs called on him to label it a genocide, Lammy said: “We must call this what it is. It is extremism. It is dangerous. It is repellent.
“It is monstrous and I condemn it in the strongest possible terms.”
New financial restrictions and travel bans targeted prominent settler leader Daniella Weiss and two other individuals, as well as two illegal outposts and two organisations accused of backing violence against Palestinian communities.
Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein said the sanctions in relation to the West Bank were “unjustified and regrettable”.
Responding to the suspension of trade talks, he said: “If, due to anti-Israel obsession and domestic political considerations, the British Government is willing to harm the British economy — that is its own prerogative.”
He added that “external pressure will not divert Israel from its path in defending its existence and security against enemies who seek its destruction.”
