Middle powers take on Israeli West Bank settlements
The UK, Canada, and France announced sanctions on exports from Israeli settlements in the West Bank on Tuesday, later joined by nine additional European countries. In a speech announcing the sanctions – which have significant cross-party support in the UK – Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband condemned “settler terrorists” following an increase in violence in the Israeli-occupied territory. In response, Israel told the UK to close its consulate in Jerusalem. The impact of the sanctions is more symbolic than practical, given that goods and services from Israeli settlements are estimated to make up less than 5% of total Israeli exports. Even so, it marks another shared policy for the so-called “middle powers” amid Israel’s growing political isolation. As Israeli elections loom, PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is forging ahead with plans to build a settlement of 1,200 homes in the West Bank, which are considered illegal under international law.
Saudi-Houthi escalation threatens to revive civil war
The Houthis and Saudi Arabia are at risk of returning to all-out war. On Tuesday, the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels attacked energy facilities in the southern Saudi city of Abha, which they said were in retaliation for a Saudi strike on Yemen’s al-Hazm city on Monday that killed at least 11 people. Fighting between the Saudi-backed forces in Yemen and Iranian-aligned Houthis has been limited since a 2022 UN-brokered ceasefire, but tensions have intensified since the war in Iran began and the Houthis started targeting ships traveling through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. A return to full-scale war risks further destabilizing Yemen and disrupting shipping in a waterway that Saudi Arabia now sends about 75% of its exports through because of disruptions to the Strait of Hormuz – adding even more pressure to global energy markets. Oil prices hit $100 a barrel on Wednesday.
Kenya tightens rules for foreigners
The Kenyan government has given all foreigners 90 days to ensure that their immigration status is legal. On top of that, President William Ruto, seeking to address frustrations about unemployment ahead of next year’s election, has proposed wider legislation that would reserve certain kinds of small businesses and hawking professions for Kenyans only, while continuing to court foreign investment in capital-intensive industries. Kenya’s move comes amid similar anti-migrant backlashes in other large, relatively stable African economies that have attracted large populations of migrants. Last year, Tanzania, the second largest East African economy after Kenya, banned foreigners from 15 small-scale business professions. South Africa, the continent’s largest economy, has seen a huge surge in anti-migrant protests and violence this year.
