The UK is facing a backlash from the US and Israel over plans for sanctions on Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband is expected to announce them when he sets out a “reset” of the UK’s relations with Israel in a Commons statement on Tuesday as part of a toughened stance under Andy Burnham’s Government.
Ministers have suggested goods coming out of the illegal settlements in the West Bank, a Palestinian territory, could be subject to trade restrictions as part of the changes.
The British Prime Minister discussed the Middle East with US President Donald Trump in a phone call on Monday ahead of the intervention, which risks drawing criticism from Washington, Israel’s closest ally.
A Downing Street readout said Mr Burnham had set out “the UK’s commitment to working towards peace and security in the region” and stressed the importance of the two-state solution, but made no mention of how the president responded.
The prospect of the move has already prompted suggestions of retaliation from US and Israeli figures.
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee called it an “irrational action”.
“I feel like it’s discrimination against the Israeli government. It’s a discrimination against the Jewish people,” he told the BBC’s Today programme.
He added: “I also would tell you that I don’t know if they have thought it through. It’s like throwing a stone and not having an idea of where it’s going to land.
“And I realise, look, the UK is a sovereign country; they can do what they want, but so is the US.”