The UK is expected to announce sanctions targeting Israel on Tuesday, with the government focusing on Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria, according to reports in The Telegraph and The Guardian. British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband is also expected to present the move as part of a "comprehensive reset" of UK-Israel relations while pledging a "more active" approach in support of the Palestinians.
According to the reports, Britain is expected to ban the purchase of certain goods and services originating in settlements, as well as dealings with companies operating in settlements in Judea and Samaria.
The move is expected to draw sharp criticism from the White House and British MPs. Members of Parliament and Jewish organizations told The Telegraph that sanctions targeting the settlements could effectively amount to a "de facto boycott" of Israeli goods.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham is expected to discuss the sanctions with his cabinet on Tuesday morning before Miliband announces them in a statement to Parliament, according to the report.
Miliband has already told Parliament that the government intends to impose sanctions on Israel "in the coming weeks" and promised a "comprehensive reset" in UK-Israel relations. According to The Guardian, Miliband is expected to announce a broader shift in relations with Israel and pledge that the government will take a "more active" approach in supporting the Palestinian cause.
In his statement to MPs, the British foreign secretary is expected to use stronger language than his recent predecessors in describing the humanitarian injustices suffered by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
According to the reports, the measures were brought forward so they would take effect before the start of the Jewish holiday season in Israel and before the Labour Party's annual conference later this month.
The sanctions are also expected to anger US President Donald Trump. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee accused the British government of "Jew hatred" amid its criticism of Israel.
The move also comes against the backdrop of domestic political pressures in Britain. The announcement is expected a day after the government set the timetable for a by-election in Holborn and St Pancras, the former constituency of former Prime Minister Keir Starmer, where Labour faces a challenge from the Green Party.
