British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband invoked his Jewish identity during a House of Commons address in which he announced new sanctions targeting Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Strangely, the Labour minister sought to frame his policy position as consistent with support for Israel's security.
"Madam Deputy Speaker, I am proud of my Jewish heritage and unwavering in my support for the state of Israel. And there is no contradiction whatsoever between that and my support for a Palestinian state. In fact, quite the opposite," Miliband told Parliament. "The two-state solution is based on the explicit belief that the only path to security for both peoples is to live side by side in peaceful coexistence, with freedom, security and self-determination."
The remarks came as the British government announced economic sanctions and an import ban on products originating from settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The measures include restrictions on financial services and infrastructure, along with tightened oversight of defense export licenses related to settlement activity.
