British-led sanctions over settlement expansion in the West Bank may have the unintended effect of emboldening the Israeli right ahead of elections, analysts and a diplomatic source told AFP.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is looking to shore up his right-wing base ahead of October 27 elections, while in the UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham wants to bring back leftists who believe his predecessor was too timid on the war in Gaza.
Burnham said Britain would ban trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, which are illegal under international law and which have rapidly expanded under Netanyahu's rule despite extremist settlers' near-daily attacks and theft against Palestinians.
France and Canada joined the sanctions and nine other Western nations voiced support.
But one European diplomat said that while Europeans broadly agreed with Britain's position, there was concern that the sanctions could play into the Netanyahu government's hands.
