Israel has reacted forcefully to Britain's announced sanctions and stopped imports from Israeli settlements. The consulate in East Jerusalem is closed, twelve British citizens are banned from entering, and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar calls the British government "hostile" - Saar accuses the country of election interference ahead of Israel's parliamentary elections on October 27.
According to Britain, the sanctions send a “clear signal” to the Israeli government:
"We will not accept the destruction of the two-state solution," Miliband said.
Miliband accuses Israel of turning a blind eye to what he calls Israeli settlers' "ethnic cleansing" in the West Bank.
The US reacts mildly
The White House is refraining from further comment on Britain's decision.
"The United States does not want to see destabilization in the West Bank right now, given that there is so much going on in the region. Obviously, we are not going to do what the UK did," Rubio said.
Eleven more countries are backing Britain's sanctions: Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Denmark, Finland, France, Poland, Portugal, Ireland, Spain and Canada.
"The situation is rapidly deteriorating due to increased levels of settler violence and an unprecedented expansion of settlements," the countries warn in a joint statement.
Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard (M) states that more needs to be done to reduce trade with Israeli settlements:
“The settlements and settlement policies undermine the two-state solution,” she writes.
Israel builds more settlements
Britain has sharply criticized Israel's approved plans to build new settlements east of Jerusalem in the so-called E1 area. The plans "cross a line", "cut right through the West Bank and risk making the realization of a Palestinian state impossible", according to Miliband.
Settler violence and harassment against Palestinian civilians have increased sharply in recent years. In the past 24 hours, four Palestinians in the West Bank have been killed by Israeli forces, according to Palestinian authorities.
Israel's settlements in the West Bank violate international law and are condemned by a number of countries.
