The United Kingdom has announced trade sanctions targeting Israeli settlements in the West Bank, a move that could take up to nine months to come into force, according to the Guardian. The decision marks a tougher stance from the UK toward Israel and has drawn a strong response from the Israeli government.

In announcing the measures, Britain reasserted its support for Palestinian rights and a two-state solution, according to the Guardian’s live coverage. The UK characterised Israeli settler attacks in the West Bank as amounting to ethnic cleansing.

Britain’s foreign secretary accused settlers of carrying out the “ethnic cleansing” of Palestinians, according to the BBC. Israel responded to the announcement by shutting the UK consulate in East Jerusalem, the BBC reported.

Ahead of the announcement, Israeli President Isaac Herzog warned that Britain would be “on the wrong side of history” if it proceeded with plans to ban trade with the settlements on the West Bank. He described the potential move as a “grave miscalculation.”

Herzog referred to the settlements using the terms Judea and Samaria, and suggested other nations may join Britain in adopting similar measures. “Later today, we expect to see headlines announcing certain British trade sanctions on Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria,” he said, adding that “if this happens – and other nations may join – I believe it will prove to be a grave miscalculation.”

The timeline for implementation means the sanctions may not take practical effect for several months, according to the Guardian. The announcement came amid a broader day of UK political developments, including a Commons urgent question granted to the Liberal Democrats over the latest Argentinian threats to the Falkland Islands.