Plaid Cymru urges UK Government to impose sanctions on Israel

Plaid Cymru has called on the UK Government to introduce sanctions against Israel to pressure it to comply with international law and cease military operations in Gaza.

The party has already called for the immediate and unconditional recognition of Palestine as well as the end to all arms sales to Israel.

However, its Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, Ben Lake MP said that meaningful action by the UK Government was required in the form of economic sanctions against Israel.

Plaid is calling on the UK Government to suspend the UK’s current trade agreement with Israel and the 2030 Roadmap for a closer UK-Israel partnership. It is also pushing for sanctions on all individuals suspected of breaching international law and a ban on the import of goods from illegal Israeli Settlements in Palestine.

Preferential treatment

Mr Lake had said that trade agreements that provide Israel with preferential treatment must be suspended as well as halting the 2030 roadmap, a position which is supported by legal experts.

Although the UK’s Foreign Secretary has already announced that sanctions would be imposed on two Israeli ministers along with some Israeli settlers, Plaid Cymru is pressing the UK Government to put asset freezes and travel bans on senior members of the Israeli Government and military, “responsible for the incitement of genocide in Gaza and for the maintenance and entrenchment of Israel’s occupation in Palestine”.

The latest call for action comes after a double Israeli strike on a Gaza hospital at the weekend killed 20 people, including journalists and health workers.

‘Failure of humanity’

On Friday, the Secretary-General of the United Nations called the confirmed famine in Gaza City and surrounding areas a “failure of humanity.” Antonio Guterres described the crisis as a “man-made disaster” after a UN-backed body raised parts of the territory to Phase 5 – the highest level of food insecurity.

Mr Lake said: “The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is shocking and entirely preventable. Famine has been declared by UN experts, yet Israel is failing to allow sufficient food and medical supplies to flow into Gaza, putting hundreds of thousands of lives at risk.

“The UK Government must take meaningful action to prevent the weaponisation of food, and should impose sanctions on the Israeli government. Trade agreements providing preferential treatment to Israel should be suspended, and the UK Government should waste no time in halting the 2030 roadmap for closer UK-Israel ties, banning goods from illegal settlements, and ending all arms sales.

“We also call for targeted sanctions on individuals inciting violence towards civilians and breaches of international law. The UK has a moral and legal responsibility to ensure Israel complies with international law, and urgent action is needed to prevent further humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.”