LONDON: Australia is preparing another suite of sanctions against Israel but will not join the UK, France and Canada in banning trade with Israeli settlements, The Guardian reported on Wednesday. Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong said her country, which had joined its partners on previous rounds of action against Israel, is not committed to a broad ban on goods produced in settlements, which are illegal under international law. She added: “Australia is pursuing further targeted measures in coordination with international partners to deter illegal settlements and settler violence. “We have concerns about the implementation of a blanket ban and unintended consequences for Australian businesses, for Palestinians and for Israelis, and we will continue to work with partners to protect the prospects of a two-state solution.” However, Wong said Israel’s actions are “extinguishing the possibility of a two-state solution.” Israel must stop settler violence against Palestinians, including destruction of property, displacement of families, torture, sexual assault and killings, she added. “We have taken action that Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu’s government has made very clear that they are more than displeased with, but we have done so because this is the right thing to do,” Wong said. Despite mounting pressure, Israel’s government believes it can simply “ride out” condemnatory statements from abroad, said Ed Husic, an MP with Australia’s governing Labour Party. However, “it cannot ride out the impact of sanctions; this is a big seismic move,” he added. “Australia is going to need to do the same because we can’t say we’re for the state of Palestine, which I am very much a supporter of, and ignore the fact that illegal settlements are undermining the ability for a state of Palestine to emerge.” Rawan Arraf, executive director of the Australian Centre for International Justice, welcomed the UK’s actions but said Wong’s “legacy will be judged on her weak inaction to these concerted steps and to the serious allegations of genocide in Gaza.”