On Tuesday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar accused the British Labour government of working "systematically" against Israel. He announced that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had agreed to take measures in response to British sanctions linked to West Bank settlements.
In a televised speech, Sa'ar described the allegations made by the British Foreign Secretary against Israel as "outrageous and completely false," according to his statement.
Sa'ar stated, "There is a hostile Labour government against us in Britain that consistently acts against Israel, leaving us no choice but to respond to its hostile actions."
He confirmed that he and Netanyahu decided on "a range of measures" in response to the British sanctions, without disclosing their nature or implementation timeline.
The Israeli Foreign Minister accused the Labour government of acting against his country for political reasons, alleging that the British sanctions represent a "blatant attempt to interfere in Israeli elections."
Sa'ar also linked the timing of the British actions to the Labour Party conference, accusing the government of using the Israeli issue to achieve domestic political goals.
He stated, "The connection of the Jewish people to this land and their right to it are meticulously documented," adding that "Jews have the right to live in all parts of the Land of Israel."
Sa'ar also issued a warning to the Palestinian Authority, accusing it of standing behind the sanctions, saying it "will not be immune" from the upcoming Israeli measures.
He warned that tens of thousands of Palestinians would be affected by the restrictions on settlement products.
This escalation comes amid increasing international efforts to impose restrictions on trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank, amid criticism of settlement expansion and rising violence against Palestinians.
Canada and 11 European countries announced plans to take measures restricting trade and dealings with the settlements, as part of mounting international pressure on Israel over its policies in the West Bank.
In Britain, The Guardian urged the government to impose a comprehensive trade ban on settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, noting growing political support for tougher actions against settlement activities.
This escalation places the settlement issue at the core of a new diplomatic tension between London and Tel Aviv, amid anticipation about the nature of the measures the Israeli government intends to take in response to the British actions.