LONDON (AP) 鈥 The British government says it is suspending free trade negotiations with Israel and has leveled new sanctions targeting West Bank settlements as it criticizes Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
Tuesday’s actions came a day after the U.K, France and Canada condemned Israel鈥檚 handling of the war in Gaza and its actions in the occupied .
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the U.K.鈥檚 existing trade agreement is in effect but the government can鈥檛 continue discussions with an Israeli government pursuing what he called egregious policies in the West Bank and Gaza.
Lammy said the persistent cycle of violence by extremist Israeli settlers in the West Bank demanded action.
鈥淭he Israeli government has a responsibility to intervene and halt these aggressive actions,鈥 Lammy said. 鈥淭heir consistent failure to act is putting Palestinian communities and the two-state solution in peril.鈥
The announcement came after British Prime Minister ramped up his criticism of Israel on Tuesday, saying the level of suffering by children in was 鈥渦tterly intolerable” and repeated his call for a ceasefire.
鈥淚 want to put on record today that we鈥檙e horrified by the escalation from Israel,鈥 Starmer told the U.K.‘s Parliament.
His brief remarks followed a scathing joint condemnation he issued Monday with French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney that marked one of the most significant criticisms by close allies of Israel鈥檚 handling of the war in Gaza and its actions in the .
The three leaders threatened to take 鈥渃oncrete actions鈥 if the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not cease its renewed military offensive and significantly lift restrictions on humanitarian aid. Netanyahu said the statement was 鈥渁 huge prize鈥 for Hamas.
Starmer repeated the trio’s demand for a ceasefire, saying it was the only way to free the hostages Hamas still holds. He also called for increased shipments of humanitarian aid into Gaza, saying the basic quantity allowed by Israel is 鈥渦tterly inadequate.鈥
鈥淲e must coordinate our response, because this war has gone on for far too long,鈥 Starmer said. 鈥淲e cannot allow the people of Gaza to starve.鈥
International pressure has been building on Israel following a nearly three-month blockade of supplies into Gaza that led to . Even the United States, a staunch ally of Israel, has voiced concerns over the growing hunger crisis.
While Israel allowed trucks with baby food and desperately needed supplies to begin rolling into Gaza on Monday, U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher described the volume of aid a 鈥渄rop in the ocean of what is urgently needed.鈥
Israel initially received widespread international support to root out Hamas militants following the group’s surprise attack that killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, on Oct. 7, 2023, and took 251 captives.
But patience with Israel is wearing thin after more than 53,000 Palestinian deaths, mostly women and children, according to Gaza鈥檚 Health Ministry, which doesn鈥檛 differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count. Israel鈥檚 latest onslaught has killed more than 300 people in recent days, local health officials said.
In recent weeks, Macron intensified diplomatic efforts to put pressure on Israel, urging a ceasefire and calling for lifting the blockade of humanitarian aid.
Last month, Macron said France should move toward recognizing a Palestinian state, possibly in June when France and Saudi Arabia are co-hosting an international conference about implementing a two-state solution. The comments came after a visit to Egypt during which he met with injured Palestinians at El Arish hospital.
Macron, who has said that is not a 鈥硉aboo鈥 for France, last week suggested that revisiting the EU鈥檚 cooperation agreements with Israel is on the table.
Tensions between France and Israel have escalated after Macron called for stopping arms deliveries for use in Gaza in an October radio interview, prompting Netanyahu鈥檚 strong criticism.
France also sought to impose a ban on Israeli defense companies to prevent them from exhibiting weapons at the Euronaval trade exhibition.
