UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has been warned that plans to impose sanctions and trade restrictions on Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria could trigger a serious economic confrontation with the administration of US President Donald Trump, The Times reported on Thursday.
According to the report, Burnham is preparing to announce a package of measures targeting the communities following plans for construction in the E1 area. Measures under consideration reportedly include restrictions on trade in goods linked to Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria, as well as sanctions against individuals involved in advancing construction. More than 140 Labour MPs support action, with some calling for the restrictions to be extended to services as well.
However, warnings are being voiced within the Labour Party over the potential consequences of such a move. MPs have cautioned that the Trump administration could respond by imposing tariffs on Britain, potentially damaging economic and diplomatic relations between London and Washington.
The British concerns are also based on previous US responses to similar measures in Europe. Last month, Washington criticized Irish legislation targeting trade with Jewish communities and warned of possible unintended consequences for American companies and jobs.
Trump has also previously threatened trade measures against Spain, which has taken steps to ban imports from Israeli communities, as part of a broader dispute with Madrid.
A Labour MP told The Times that economic and diplomatic relations with the United States are already in a sensitive position and warned against assuming that Britain could take measures against Israel without facing potential economic and political consequences from the White House, Congress and US states with anti-BDS legislation.
A former Labour minister also warned there was a significant risk of retaliatory measures from the Trump administration and Israel, urging ministers to carefully consider the potential consequences before making a decision.
According to The Times, the issue could also have implications for a possible first meeting between Burnham and Trump. British officials are reportedly preparing for the possibility that the two leaders could meet in New York next month on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Meanwhile, the British government is continuing to consider measures targeting Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria. Officials are examining restrictions on goods and services linked to communities, alongside possible individual sanctions, although the government reportedly acknowledges practical difficulties in identifying and classifying the products that would be covered by such restrictions.