British FM to pressure Israel on settlements

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband arrived in Israel yesterday for a two-day visit, and is expected to express strong opposition to West Bank settlement here.

His visit comes while relations between Israel and Britain are strained, due to Downing Street's intention to label products manufactured in the West Bank, as a means of applying economic sanctions.

In addition, he is aiming to advance Israeli-Palestinian peace talks during his regional tour, which will include Syria, Lebanon and the Palestinian Authority.

Yesterday, Miliband met with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni

During their meeting, Livni told her British counterpart she expected the international community to support Israel as it attempted to quell militant fire from the Gaza Strip. "Israel cannot just watch its citizens being attacked," she said. "The international community cannot turn a blind eye."

Miliband is planning today to visit Sderot, which has absorbed most of the recent rocket fire from Gaza.

"I very much look forward to showing my solidarity with them," Miliband said.

Miliband also is expected to press the European Union increase controls on imports from the settlements. Some of these imports are admitted at European ports as Israeli produce and therefore enjoy tariff benefits under an Israel-EU treaty, British officials said.

"We are aware of the British concerns about this matter," Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said. "We have been involved for some time now in dialogue with our British counterparts in order to find a way to solve this issue."

A spokeswoman for the British Embassy clarified Miliband's plans.

"The foreign secretary made it clear that Britain is not trying to shift the goal posts on this issue but is following up on representations made to us about the workings of the system," she said.

European diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity as a fresh economic offensive on the West Bank settlements has not been officially approved, said Miliband has been trying to muster support in Brussels for tougher implementation of existing customs regulations.