The UK has unveiled a new sanctions package targeting illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, accusing Israeli authorities of allowing, and at times enabling, the forced displacement of Palestinians by extremist settlers. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband described the move as "the beginning of a new approach" that seeks not just to condemn abuses but to take concrete action.
Under the measures, Britain will ban goods produced in West Bank settlements and sanction companies and individuals involved in settlement construction and expansion. The restrictions will roll out over the next six to nine months as part of a comprehensive regime designed to reflect the UK’s assessment that Israeli control over the West Bank has become entrenched and expansionist — a position Miliband said aligns with a 2024 advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice.
Miliband told Parliament the government regards the activities of some settlers as amounting to ethnic cleansing in parts of the West Bank, a term defined by the UN as a deliberate policy by one group to remove another by violent means. He accused parts of the Israeli government of ignoring such violence and, in some cases, promoting policies that facilitate forced displacement. The foreign secretary stressed the sanctions are aimed at illegal settlements and their expansion, not at Israel as a country, and announced an immediate ban on advertising West Bank settlements in the UK.
The announcement was coordinated with France and Canada, and a joint statement with a coalition of 11 countries — including several EU members and Nordic states — said the move marked a shift in efforts to preserve the viability of a two-state solution. The coalition pledged national measures or support for European restrictions on trading settlement goods.
Israel reacted angrily. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called Miliband’s remarks an "outrageous lie" and said Israel would take several countermeasures, including closing the UK consulate in East Jerusalem, which handles relations with Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza. Saar also announced entry bans for 11 UK politicians, among them former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and other left-wing figures, accusing them of anti-Israel activity. Israel said it would end UK-led training for Palestinian Authority forces in parts of the West Bank and remove British staff from some programs.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham framed the sanctions as targeted and intended to support, not undermine, the two-state framework. But senior British Jewish leaders sharply criticized the move. The Chief Rabbi called it a dark day for British Jews and warned it could fuel antisemitic sentiment, while the Board of Deputies urged both governments to avoid politicizing the issue.
The UK’s decision came amid renewed controversy over Israel’s settlement plans, including tenders for about 1,200 homes in the E1 area east of Jerusalem — a strategically sensitive corridor long considered vital to the contiguity of a future Palestinian state. Miliband argued that building in E1 would effectively doom the prospect of two states by severing territory essential to Palestinian territorial continuity.
Miliband also addressed the wider conflict, acknowledging Israel’s right to defend itself after the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack that precipitated the Gaza war, while insisting that conduct in Gaza must comply with international humanitarian law. He pointed to reports suggesting possible war crimes and said legal processes should determine whether serious violations, including genocide, have occurred.
International responses were mixed. The Palestinian presidency welcomed the UK’s move as a step against what it calls Israel’s colonial policies. The United States declined to join the sanctions; White House officials said they had no comment, and some American voices suggested they would not follow the UK’s lead. Former US representatives aligned with the Trump administration warned of potential economic reprisals affecting British businesses.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog denounced the sanctions as interference that would harm Palestinians and interfere in Israel’s democratic process. He urged diplomatic engagement rather than punitive measures.
The UK’s new stance follows last year’s formal recognition of a Palestinian state by the Starmer government and signals a tougher approach to settlement activity seen as undermining the two-state solution. Israel maintains that any final status must be negotiated and has warned that unilateral moves by foreign governments will have consequences.
The evolving standoff underscores deep divisions among allies over how best to respond to settlement expansion, settler violence, and the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict — while raising new questions about the future of international diplomacy aimed at achieving a negotiated two-state outcome.
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