The United Kingdom announced that it will implement a "comprehensive package of measures" against Israeli settlements in the coming weeks. The promise was made by Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, during a speech in the British parliament.
Israel immediately reacted to the British threat. The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, stated that if the United Kingdom acts against Israel, the country will respond with equivalent measures against the United Kingdom.
Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem are considered illegal under international law. The international community has been pressuring Israel to end the expansion of these settlements, without success so far.
This decision by the United Kingdom comes at a time of growing tensions between Israel and several European countries, which have been adopting increasingly critical positions regarding Israeli settlement policy.
