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UK to Ban Trade With Illegal West Bank Settlements
(MENAFN) Britain is preparing to impose a formal ban on trade tied to illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, British media reported Monday.
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband is expected to unveil a "broad reset" of the UK's relationship with Israel, according to media. The proposed measures would prohibit trade in goods and certain services originating from the illegal settlements, extending to their financing and advertising. The aim is to halt the expansion of outposts widely viewed as an effort to dismantle prospects for a sovereign Palestinian state.
The Independent reported that the policy shift was accelerated by recent progress on the "E1" project, a corridor intended to split the northern and southern West Bank. Miliband described the expansion as an "unacceptable and destructive act," signaling London's shift toward more active intervention to preserve the two-state solution.
Britain formally recognized the State of Palestine in September 2025, joining more than 140 other UN member states that have done so.
Miliband is also expected to adopt "firmer language" than his predecessors on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Reports indicate his statement will assert that the Israeli military, "in the name of security, are placing unnecessary controls" on aid entering Gaza.
While London has reportedly left open the possibility of joining South Africa's case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague — the UN's principal judicial body — the current package is not expected to invoke the term genocide, media said.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham condemned the settlement expansion Monday, pledging that "comprehensive measures" would follow soon.
The announcement comes as UN data shows violence by Israeli occupiers has reached "unprecedented levels," with more than 1,400 attacks resulting in casualties or property damage recorded in 2026 alone. An estimated 750,000 Israeli occupiers now live across 516 illegal settlements and outposts in the occupied territory, carrying out near-daily efforts to displace Palestinians from their land.
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband is expected to unveil a "broad reset" of the UK's relationship with Israel, according to media. The proposed measures would prohibit trade in goods and certain services originating from the illegal settlements, extending to their financing and advertising. The aim is to halt the expansion of outposts widely viewed as an effort to dismantle prospects for a sovereign Palestinian state.
The Independent reported that the policy shift was accelerated by recent progress on the "E1" project, a corridor intended to split the northern and southern West Bank. Miliband described the expansion as an "unacceptable and destructive act," signaling London's shift toward more active intervention to preserve the two-state solution.
Britain formally recognized the State of Palestine in September 2025, joining more than 140 other UN member states that have done so.
Miliband is also expected to adopt "firmer language" than his predecessors on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Reports indicate his statement will assert that the Israeli military, "in the name of security, are placing unnecessary controls" on aid entering Gaza.
While London has reportedly left open the possibility of joining South Africa's case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague — the UN's principal judicial body — the current package is not expected to invoke the term genocide, media said.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham condemned the settlement expansion Monday, pledging that "comprehensive measures" would follow soon.
The announcement comes as UN data shows violence by Israeli occupiers has reached "unprecedented levels," with more than 1,400 attacks resulting in casualties or property damage recorded in 2026 alone. An estimated 750,000 Israeli occupiers now live across 516 illegal settlements and outposts in the occupied territory, carrying out near-daily efforts to displace Palestinians from their land.
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