The UK Department for Business and Trade conducted a risk assessment last year on suspending the post-Brexit trade agreement with Israel, according to a Sky News report. The assessment was prompted by the Gaza war and Israeli government actions in Judea and Samaria. Officials ultimately decided against cancellation, fearing harm to British businesses.
The Zioneer has been tracking this story since early morning. At 07:04 Jerusalem, initial reports stated that the UK had considered suspending the post-Brexit trade deal with Israel and ultimately decided against it. The latest update, based on a Sky News report published this morning, provides additional details: the Department for Business and Trade conducted a formal risk assessment last year, weighing the implications of suspending the agreement due to the war in Gaza and Israeli actions in Judea and Samaria. The assessment concluded that cancellation would harm British businesses, leading to the decision to maintain the agreement.
Earlier reports at 07:04 Jerusalem indicated that the UK had considered suspension, with specific details emerging about an economic impact assessment conducted in August 2025 and a last-minute halt of the plan. These reports all stem from the same Sky News report, which relies on a single source and has not been independently confirmed by the UK government or other newsrooms.
As The Zioneer reported previously, the UK has also taken other measures regarding Israel, including updated travel advisories warning of possible flight disruptions and airspace closures (Wed Jul 22, 22:23 Jerusalem), and sanctions on entities linked to settler violence alongside five other nations (Tue Jun 9, 14:55 Jerusalem). These measures are separate from the trade agreement issue.
The report remains based on a single source, and no official confirmation from the UK Department for Business and Trade has been received. The specific timeline of the risk assessment and the exact considerations that led to the decision remain unverified.
5 developments
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Source and signal
- Internal intake