The UK government is preparing to introduce new measures restricting the purchase of goods produced in Jewish settlements located in the occupied West Bank, according to reports from the BBC. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband is anticipated to outline these steps during a statement in the House of Commons on Tuesday.
These measures could encompass bans on trade involving agricultural products originating from the settlements. Last week, Miliband indicated his intention to pursue a “comprehensive reset” of British policy toward Israel. The Israeli government has previously cautioned that it would retaliate if additional restrictions were implemented.
Under international law, these settlements are considered illegal. Recent months have witnessed an increase in violence against Palestinians by settlers in the West Bank. One minister described the upcoming announcement as a complete transformation of the UK’s relationship with Israel and Palestine, stating it would feel fundamentally different.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham confirmed to Labour MPs on Monday evening that Miliband would deliver the statement. Burnham reportedly informed colleagues that he had briefed international leaders regarding the plans via telephone calls on Monday afternoon. He spoke with US President Donald Trump, emphasizing the importance of a two-state solution. However, a release from No 10 did not explicitly mention the sanctions briefing, and the US, likely to oppose the proposals, has not yet commented.
Stephen Doughty, now the Middle East minister, previously told the business select committee that existing sanctions powers were insufficient. He noted that current rules only allow sanctions where there is evidence linking activities to settler violence, excluding cases such as contractors working on settlements.
Although ministers acknowledge that banning a relatively small volume of agricultural goods is largely symbolic, the government intends to present the announcement as a major overhaul of its broader Israel policy.
This expected intervention follows Israel’s decision to issue tenders for approximately 1,200 homes in the E1 area, a strategically significant zone east of Jerusalem. The plans have faced widespread international condemnation. Israel had previously avoided building in this area for decades due to global pressure.
In his first address to Parliament last week, Miliband condemned the E1 plans as illegal under international law, calling them a red line that risks making a Palestinian state unviable. Burnham also warned that the development could jeopardize or end the two-state solution.
The announcement comes nearly a year after the Labour government recognized the state of Palestine. The UK believes the two-state prospect is being threatened by rapid settlement expansion. Since the 1967 war, Israel has constructed around 160 settlements housing 700,000 Jews in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, territories claimed by Palestinians for a future state. The number of Palestinians living in the area is estimated at 3.3 million.
Since the onset of the Gaza war following the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, there has been a surge in settler attacks against Palestinians and their property.
Symbolic or not, I wonder how Israel will actually respond? Trade wars might hurt ordinary citizens on both sides equally.
Finally, a tangible step toward accountability. The two-state solution is dying, and this is the UK showing it still cares.