It has emerged that during the EU discussions over its new guidelines prohibiting the provision of funds to Israeli organisations with operations beyond the Green Line, the UK suggested that the instruction should apply to every Israeli citizen living in settlements.

A senior European diplomat who was present at the talks told Haaretz that during the discussions held by the European External Action Service (EEAS), who drafted the guidelines, the British “warmly welcomed the guidelines and asked why they were not applicable to individuals”.

The diplomat informed Haaretz that an EEAS official replied to the British delegate that “it was considered impractical to ‘chase’ individual persons and would also mean that they would be singled out”.

The delegates of the member states knew of the new guidelines three weeks ago, and attended a discussion on the subject in the second week of June.

The Foriegn Office has refused to comment.