Almost 30 years ago, the Labour titan Robin Cook announced his arrival at the Foreign Office by laying out what would become described as an “ethical foreign policy”. The UK, he said, “must support the demands of other peoples for the democratic rights on which we insist for ourselves”. Human rights would be “at the heart of our foreign policy”.
In the 25 years since Cook was demoted, Britain has had a further 14 foreign secretaries – including seven in the past six years – few of whom can claim to have placed progressive ideals at the heart of their actions. Ed Miliband’s speech on Tuesday outlining the UK’s decision to impose economic sanctions on Israeli settlements in the West Bank – and unveiling the international coalition he has built to support it – suggests that Cook may finally have a successor. Describing what is happening in the West Bank as “ethnic cleansing” carried out by “settler terrorists”, Miliband used language that Palestinians have longed to hear from a British foreign secretary.
Vital, too, was his official recognition that the occupation of the West Bank is “unlawful”. Britain was not acting alone. Miliband and diplomats at the Foreign Office have carefully formed a 12-nation coalition, including France and Canada, that spoke with one voice.
A cautious European Union, partly blocked by a handful of Benjamin Netanyahu allies, could not have taken such action; while US membership of the G7 – regardless of Donald Trump – would have always made that avenue impossible too. The consequences of the sanctions for Israel could be profound, although much will depend on the implementation. The most far-reaching proposal announced by Miliband was the targeting of those who “finance … illegal settlements”.
That could mean every single Israeli bank. For those banks it will pose a crucial question: do you want to do business with the settlements or the UK? It could pose a question for Israeli citizens too: do you want your credit card to work in the settlements or when you’re on holiday in London?
Ahead of elections at the end of next month there is growing awareness in Israel of the lack of western allies the country can now rely upon. Support is ebbing away in the US too. More Americans now sympathise with the Palestinians than the Israelis, while more than half now back a Palestinian state.
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