Rough trade
PUBLIC opinion may already be reflected in the decline in Israeli goods imported by the UK. Figures last week from the Office for National Statistics show seasonally unadjusted imports fell in the April-June quarter to £283m, compared with £343m in January-March, and were down almost 15 percent on the first six months of 2024, when imports totalled £735m on a similar basis.
Among the largest falls in the second quarter (a period when Israel was restricting food entering Gaza) were UK imports of Israeli vegetables and fruit – less than half the previous quarter, but still worth £20.3m. Exports of goods to Israel were slightly down at £367m in the second quarter.