British premier defends sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements in West Bank

British Premier Andy Burnham has called for action over illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank, warning that failure to act could further undermine trust in politics and make a two-state solution non-viable.

Speaking to reporters alongside US President Donald Trump in New York, Burnham said there could be a point at which the expansion of settlements posed a direct challenge to the prospects for a two-state solution.

“If we face a situation where there's a tender to put settlements on the West Bank that, in effect, make a two-state solution non-viable, what do we do?” he said.

Burnham argued that politicians needed to demonstrate that their statements were backed by action, warning that otherwise public confidence in politics would continue to deteriorate.

“Because if we do nothing, then it further erodes people's trust in politics,” he said. “They think, well, you all talk when it comes to it, you're not prepared to follow up on that talk, and do something.”

He also said that the government will challenge antisemitism wherever as we see it,” he said.

He pointed to the trade ban recently proposed by the UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband on imports from Israeli settlements as an example of how political statements could be accompanied by concrete measures.

“But on that issue, you know, we targeted action the foreign secretary proposed on the banning the imports of goods from the from the settlements because, in the end of the day, have to have meaning behind your words; otherwise, trust in politics further evaporates,” Burnham said.