The Archbishop of York has asked if the government should impose “further measures” against Israel to stop housebuilding projects in the West Bank.
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said earlier this week that Britain would ban the import of goods from settlements.
He also vowed to “take action against specific companies and individuals who provide services such as construction, infrastructure, financing, or real estate for settlement expansion”.
Speaking in the House of Lords on Wednesday, Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell said he welcomed Mr Miliband’s statement.
“We’ve called for such principled action over many years,” the Church of England’s second-most senior bishop added.
“We believe these measures are just, necessary and frankly overdue – though we also want to emphasise that in acting against specific policies of the Israeli government, we of course remain unreservedly opposed to the evils of antisemitism here in the UK and everywhere.”
Mr Cottrell turned to the area known as E1, a tract of land east of Jerusalem where the Israeli government is seeking bids from developers to construct more than 1,200 settlement homes.
He asked: “Are further measures needed to deter Israeli banks from guaranteeing such bids?”
Foreign Office minister Lord Wood of Anfield replied: “Our announcement yesterday is a signal that any company that wants to take part in any of the construction or related processes in that tender should think twice, because we are bringing forward steps – not a blanket services ban at all but targeted measures – to focus on any company that assists or profits from expansion of settlements.”
Mr Miliband told the Commons on Tuesday a “new approach” to the West Bank was needed because the E1 development would render a two-state solution “unviable” by “cutting through the heart of Palestine”.
Lord Wood also faced questions about Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar’s announcement that the British consulate in East Jerusalem would be closed, as one of the “counter-measures” to the trade restrictions.
Former diplomat Lord Hannay of Chiswick asked: “Does the Government consider that the government of Israel has the right to order us to close the consulate in East Jerusalem – given that the consulate is situated in East Jerusalem which is recognised by the United Nations (UN) and practically all its members as being occupied Palestinian territory over which Israel does not have sovereignty?”
Lord Hannay, an independent crossbench peer who has previously been the UK’s permanent representative to the UN and European Union, also asked Lord Wood to say whether the Foreign Office would “contest the attempt” to close the consulate.
“It’s an interesting point on the legality of it,” the minister told peers in response.
“De facto, Israel can prevent the operation of that consulate and that’s why we are endeavouring to ensure that the functions of the consulate will be provided in another way.”
Lord Callanan, a Conservative shadow Foreign Office minister, asked whether the decision to close the consulate “will undermine the UK’s ability to influence the future of the region”.
Lord Wood said: “How Israel responds is a matter for Israel, just as our foreign policy is a matter for us.
“We have very strong continuing security co-operation with Israel.
“That will continue – it is in the interests of both our country, Israel, the wider region and the West in general.”
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