Prime Minister Andy Burnham has earned praise from a leading international security expert, who believes many world leaders will be impressed after the UK joined forces with France and Canada to launch coordinated trade sanctions on Israel. Those most pleased will include Russia's president Vladimir Putin, the Iranian Armed Forces and China, it has been claimed.
UK accused Israel of 'ethnic cleansing'
Anthony Glees, a professor of politics at Buckingham and a former special adviser to the Foreign Office, says showing some "backbone" will win plenty of admirers - but just not Donald Trump. This week, the UK Government accused its Israeli counterparts of turning a blind eye to "ethnic cleansing of Palestinians" in the West Bank as the Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced an import ban on goods from illegal settlements.
In the strongest condemnation yet from the UK, imports of produce like dates, mangoes, avocados, grapes and herbs, as well as olive oil and kosher wine would be banned, with the on-going occupation of the West Bank described as "unlawful". Britain's move was called "the least the people who face such suffering deserve".
Expert: 'We're showing some backbone at last'
While the action triggered an immediate backlash from the US and Israel, Professor Glees said the bold measures send out a clear message to the Middle East, despite claims the PM sees sanctions against the country as an electoral asset.
Professor Glees told the Mirror: "In my view Putin, the IRGC and Xi Jinping will privately be impressed with Andy Burnham's and Ed Miliband's strong condemnation of Israel's tacit endorsement of the evil Israeli settlers. We're right to take a lead with our Canadian friends and others."
"It's never wrong to do what is right and support the underdog. We can't be threatened by Netanyahu. The Two State solution remains the only way forward. We're showing some backbone at last. In the long run this will also enhance our interests in the Gulf in particular."
He says Mr Burnham will not fall into line with Trump's tactics - or any self-serving Netanyahu 'nonsense'. He went on: "The UK's foreign policy has, over the past few years and most recently under Keir Starmer, been universally regarded as weak and wishy-washy, especially by our enemies and adversaries."
PM: 'Britain has to stand for fairness against injustice'
Mr Burnham said at PMQs: "Britain has to stand for fairness against injustice" - and announced those who help build or finance settlements will also face sanctions. He said: "Where people are being bullied out of their homes and intimidated, we will always stand with the underdog and take what action we can to support them."
"That is leadership on the world stage: Britain being true to what it's always been about. That is what the British people expect of us and that is what this government will do."
But in an interview in the Jewish Chronicle, the Tory leader Kemi Badenoch warned that the PM risked "fanning the flames of antisemitism here at home". She wrote: "For all Labour claim to have rooted out antisemitism internally, the degree of anti-Israel hatred means that Labour's approach to many of these issues is Corbyn in all but name."
Companies and individuals providing services to settlers such as infrastructure, financing or real estate will be sanctioned. Arms licences that contribute to the occupation will be blocked, and advertising for illegal settlements in the UK will also be banned.
