Yossi Abravanel: Despite sanctions, Israel must keep communication open with Europe

And we are back with Yossi Avravenel, the Deputy Director of Elnet Israel.

Yossi, thank you for being here.

Thank you very much.

Very happy to be with you.

Thank you.

So let's start with the UK, with the United Kingdom, because of course, Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband had that dramatic speech this week where he accused Israel, or at least some Israeli settlers, of ethnic cleansing, declared the occupation quote-unquote illegal, and announced that the UK would begin implementing over the course of the year a series of sanctions targeting Israel's settlements.

So my first question is, why now? Is it connected to the upcoming Israeli elections? Is it connected to perhaps domestic politics inside the United Kingdom? Or is it simply a reaction to Israeli policies recently, including Iwan, including settler violence? So how do you read the timing of this very dramatic move? Look, I think nothing is

new here.

This started almost two years ago.

And the first, you know...

The first move of the British government was in 2024 when they first announced that they want to apply sanctions on settlers, first on settlers.

Then they moved to apply sanctions on Israeli politicians, two ministers, Minister Ben-Vir and Minister Smotrich.

And now they are moving to apply sanctions on goods coming from the West Bank.

This is the same policy all over the last two years.

Just to clarify.

Just to clarify, Israeli settlers

in 2024 was a specific list of individuals who had been involved in violence.

Exactly.

It started from individuals, then it moved to politicians, and now it's moving to trade coming from the West Bank, from Judea and Samaria, which they call the West Bank.

I think one of the reasons is because they couldn't reach an agreement at the level of the European Union.

I mean, the UK is not in the European Union, but still a European country.

And you know that in the European Union, to have a decision for all the countries, you need an absolute majority.

Which some of the countries, some of the 12 countries that are now in this new coalition for the sanctions, there are 12 countries led by the UK, France, Canada, but you have also nine other European countries.

They all tried to reach an agreement inside the European Union.

They couldn't reach it because they need an absolute majority.