Britain is set to ban trade in goods and some services from Israeli settlements in the West Bank as the government steps up efforts to protect the prospects of a two-state solution.
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband is expected to announce the measures in the House of Commons on Tuesday as part of a broader reset of Britain’s relations with Israel.
The move follows Israel’s decision to issue tenders for 1,200 homes under the E1 settlement project in the West Bank, a plan Miliband has described as an “unacceptable and destructive act”.
Last month, Miliband pledged a wider package of measures in response to Israeli government policy.
“In the coming weeks we will set out a comprehensive set of measures to respond to Israeli government policies, protect the viability of the Palestinian state, target sanctions at those who participate in illegal settlement expansion and support a just and lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians,” he said.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham discussed the issue during a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday, according to Downing Street.
The prime minister “set out the UK’s commitment to working towards peace and security in the region, stressing the importance of the two-state solution,” Downing Street said.
Pensions Minister Pat McFadden confirmed that trade restrictions would be announced but did not provide details on how the ban would operate.
“The reason that danger has become more urgent is because of expanded settlement activity in recent weeks and months,” McFadden said.
The planned measures could add to tensions between London and Washington. The Times reported that the Trump administration was expected to issue a statement condemning the move.
Israel has warned that it will retaliate if Britain takes action over settlement expansion.
“If Britain acts against Israel, Israel will act against Britain,” Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said. “If they act, I think they will be making a big mistake.”
The dispute follows another diplomatic row after U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee accused the British government of “Jew hate” in response to Miliband's comments about medicines destined for Gaza being blocked.
Describing accounts he had heard from people working in the area, Miliband said: “Frankly, it was horrific, what is unfolding.
“The stories that people were telling me of medicines being blocked [and] children dying while waiting for vital life-saving treatment.”
Huckabee responded on X: “The Brits have lost it. The Jew hate of their government knows no boundaries and knows no facts.”
The United Nations and many governments, including the UK, consider Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law.
Israel rejects that position, arguing the territory is disputed and citing historical and religious ties to the land.
Violence involving militant Jewish settlers, as well as land and water seizures, has increased in the West Bank since the Hamas-led 7 October attacks on Israel.
Miliband said the impact of settler violence “has been catastrophic for Palestinian communities.”
“Settlement expansion and attempts to create irreversible divisions on the ground threaten peace, security and the prospects for a viable Palestinian state. Britain will not stand back and accept the destruction of the two-state solution.”
The proposed restrictions appear to have significant public support in Britain. A YouGov survey found that 50 per cent of Britons supported a ban on trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank, compared with 16 per cent who opposed such a move.
The UK move comes amid growing international concern over settlement expansion and its impact on efforts to achieve a negotiated resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
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