Paul Adams: British-Israeli relations at lowest ebb in decades

Britain has banned trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, and Israel's sharp response shows just how strained the relationship between the two countries has become. The BBC's Paul Adams reports that British-Israeli relations are now at their lowest ebb in decades, with London's move over settlement goods drawing an unusually forceful reaction from Jerusalem.

The trade ban targets commerce linked to settlements that much of the international community regards as unlawful, putting economic weight behind Britain's long-stated position on the West Bank. Israel's response signals that it views the step not as a routine policy disagreement but as a serious rupture, underscoring how central the settlements question has become to the wider diplomatic fallout.

What to watch now is whether the ban holds firm under pressure, how Israel retaliates beyond words, and whether other governments follow London's lead. The episode will also test how far Britain is willing to go in translating its stated positions on the occupied territories into concrete economic measures.