By Alistair SmoutLONDON, June 8 (Reuters) - More than a third of lawmakers from Britain's governing Labour Party signed a letter on Monday calling on the British government to end trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.Prime Minister Keir Starmer has had to balance Britain's historic position as a close ally of Israel and the United States with pressure from within his centre-left party to take a firmer line over Israeli actions towards Palestinians.

One hundred and forty backbenchers have signed a letter to Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper after attacks and theft of land in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

A Letter by British Labour Lawmakers Urged the Foreign Secretary to 'Take Urgent, Concrete Action to Counter the Escalation of Violations Against Palestinians.' Their Petition…