Israel bars 12 British politicians after UK sanctions

Israel has announced that 12 British politicians and officials will be prevented from entering the country, escalating an increasingly bitter diplomatic dispute with the United Kingdom.

The entry bans were announced after the British government introduced new measures targeting Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. The UK has moved to restrict trade involving settlement goods and imposed further sanctions on individuals and companies connected to settlement activity.

Among those named by Israel is former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, a longstanding critic of Israeli government policy and prominent supporter of Palestinian rights.

The list also includes British politicians Zarah Sultana, Naz Shah, Diane Abbott, Hannah Spencer, Carla Denyer, Sian Berry, Elly Chowns, John McDonnell, Richard Burgon and Adrian Ramsay.

Israel's decision represents a sharp escalation in the diplomatic confrontation between the two countries. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accused Britain of interfering in Israel's internal affairs and strongly criticised comments by UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband concerning the situation in the West Bank.

The Israeli government has also announced plans to close the British consulate in East Jerusalem, while removing Britain from certain programmes connected with Palestinian security and Gaza coordination.

The latest measures follow Britain's decision, alongside France, Canada and other countries, to impose restrictions on goods originating from Israeli settlements. London has argued that settlement expansion and settler violence are undermining the possibility of a negotiated two-state solution.

Miliband has described the situation in the West Bank in exceptionally strong terms, accusing Israeli settlers of carrying out what he called ethnic cleansing with the backing or tolerance of the Israeli government. Israel has rejected the allegations and condemned the UK's new policy.

The diplomatic fallout marks one of the most serious downturns in UK-Israel relations in decades, with both governments taking increasingly confrontational positions over Israel's policies in the occupied Palestinian territories.

The dispute is also unfolding as international pressure over Israeli settlement expansion continues to grow, with several governments warning that further territorial expansion could make the creation of a viable Palestinian state increasingly difficult.