Ex-Israeli PM backs UK ban on settlement trade
Ehud Olmert says sanctions became unavoidable amid escalating settler violence and what he describes as ethnic cleansing
LONDON (MNTV) — Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has backed Britain’s decision to ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, saying escalating violence against Palestinians has made such measures unavoidable.
Olmert welcomed the British policy and told The Guardian that the decision followed a sustained war of what he described as ethnic cleansing carried out by extremist Israeli settlers in the West Bank.
Olmert accused Israeli authorities of allowing the violence to continue, saying settler attacks against Palestinians have been supported by elements of Israel’s police and military over an extended period.
He also directly criticized the country’s political leadership, accusing Defense Minister Israel Katz and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of supporting the settlers and failing to take measures necessary to stop their actions.
Olmert said the British sanctions should be understood as measures directed at those involved in settler violence rather than punishment of Israel as a whole.
His intervention comes as Britain moves to restrict imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, where settlement construction and settler violence have intensified despite widespread international opposition.
British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband cited Olmert when announcing the new policy, referring to his earlier description of developments in the West Bank as a violent and criminal campaign aimed at ethnically cleansing Palestinian communities.
The former Israeli premier said many Israelis were themselves appalled by the violence and were resisting the actions of extremist settlers, drawing a distinction between the Israeli public and those responsible for attacks against Palestinians.
The British decision represents a significant shift from simply criticizing settlement activity to imposing a direct economic measure against goods produced in settlements built on occupied Palestinian land.
Israel has faced mounting international criticism over its settlement policies and the treatment of Palestinians in the West Bank. The measures come as several Western governments increasingly consider economic and diplomatic pressure in response to settlement expansion and violence.
Olmert’s endorsement is particularly significant because he served as Israel’s prime minister and remains a prominent critic of Netanyahu’s government.
His comments suggest that opposition to the settlement project is not confined to Israel’s foreign critics but also exists among senior figures within the country’s political establishment.
The former prime minister argued that sanctions had become necessary because Israeli authorities had failed to halt what he described as systematic abuses by settlers.
Britain’s decision comes ahead of Israeli elections scheduled for Oct. 27, with Netanyahu campaigning on a platform that includes continued support for settlement development in the occupied West Bank.
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
