In his first address to the British parliament as Foreign Secretary, Ed Miliband said he would introduce a “complete reset“ of its policy towards Israel “in the coming weeks“, BNR noted.
This was met with a warning from his Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar that his country would retaliate if the UK imposed sanctions on Israel over the potential expansion of settlements in the West Bank.
Ed Miliband told MPs in the House of Commons that the government would explore how to stop British companies from “funding, building or advertising new settlements“ in the occupied West Bank.
The number one diplomat noted that the plans were “illegal under international law“ and called them “crossing a red line, as it cuts through the heart of the West Bank and risks making a Palestinian state unviable“.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham also warned that Israel's statement on the so-called “E1” area could “threaten or end“ the two-state solution in the Middle East.
In response, Gideon Saar told the Hebrew-language news website Ynet: “If Britain acts against Israel, Israel will act against Britain. If the British act, I think they will make a big mistake“.
The BBC recalled that last month Israel opened tenders for the construction of about 1,200 settlement homes in E1 area - a strategically important area east of Jerusalem. The plans have sparked widespread international condemnation.