UK Prime Minister Burnham stood by the sanctions announced by the government against illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. During the weekly Prime Minister’s Questions session in the House of Commons on Wednesday, Burnham said the possibility of the two-state solution collapsing should concern everyone.
Burnham said the UK would stand for fairness against injustice when people are driven from their homes and subjected to threats. The prime minister said the government would take the necessary steps to provide support and noted that courage was needed to act under the current conditions.
Import ban on West Bank settlement goods
The UK government announced measures on Tuesday banning imports from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. The measures also include sanctions against companies and individuals that facilitate the expansion of settlement activity.
The measures additionally cover sanctions against extremist Israeli settlers accused of supporting or inciting violence against Palestinians.
Warning over the two-state solution
Burnham said the government had carefully considered all aspects before making the decisions. He said he and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband had received close advice from security services, Foreign Office officials and embassies.
The UK prime minister said the two-state solution was at risk of disappearing before everyone’s eyes and that its impact on the Middle East should concern everyone.