Isaac Herzog, the President of Israel, strongly criticized the sanctions announced by Britain in an interview on Thursday, calling them "incorrect and political." He expressed concern over these sanctions and urged European allies to engage in dialogue with Israel before criticizing it.
Herzog's Criticism of Britain's Sanctions
In an interview with the Axel Springer Global Reporter Network, Herzog reacted strongly to Britain's sanctions, stating: "I felt discomfort and insult on behalf of my people regarding the sanctions imposed on us by the British government. I think this is a serious mistake." He also referred to Britain's interference in Israel's internal politics, saying: "This directly interferes with Israeli policies, which should not be the case."
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Economic Sanctions and Their Consequences
Earlier this month, Edward Miliband, the British Foreign Secretary, announced that the country, along with France and Canada, would ban trade in goods and services originating from Israeli settlements. He also stated that Britain would take actions against companies and individuals providing services for the expansion of settlements. Miliband also acknowledged that the British government believes Palestinians in some areas of the West Bank are facing "ethnic cleansing" and added: "Many times, the Israeli government has turned a blind eye to this issue."
Herzog rejected this approach, stating that these sanctions worsen the situation instead of helping the Palestinians. He emphasized: "You need to talk about issues with Israel and should not blame Israel."
This disagreement becomes particularly significant ahead of Israel's October elections, when Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking to regain power. Herzog further urged European countries not to interfere in the Israeli elections, saying: "I ask all my friends in Europe and other countries to please refrain from interfering in our elections."
Israel previously reacted to the announcement of sanctions, stating that it intends to close the British consulate in Jerusalem and warned that it may take other retaliatory actions against other countries.
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