Britain, France, and Canada have decided enough is enough. Starting now, they're banning imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. The UK, in particular, didn't hold back, with Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband flat-out accusing Israel of turning a blind eye to, and even supporting, the "ethnic cleansing" of Palestinians in those areas.
This move, which also involves nine other European countries, is a direct response to Israel's settlement policies and the rising tide of violence from settlers against Palestinians. Miliband told parliament that "All too often the Israeli government has turned a blind eye to this and worse, members of it have made statements and taken actions to support the forced displacement of Palestinians." He added that companies and individuals involved in building, financing, or selling property in settlements would face UK sanctions, and advertising them would be prohibited.
Israel, naturally, is not taking this lying down. They announced immediate counter-measures targeting Britain, ordering the closure of the British consulate in Jerusalem. Twelve Britons, including lawmakers from the ruling Labour party, have been banned from visiting the country. Israel also plans to expel British diplomats stationed at a centre monitoring the US-broklocomomom ceasefire plan in Gaza and halt British training for Palestinian Authority forces. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called the accusations "outrageous lies."
The settlements, which are considered illegal under international law, are primarily known for exporting agricultural produce, wine, Dead Sea cosmetics, and industrial goods. Last year, trade between the UK and these settlements amounted to about £38 million ($51 million), according to British government figures. This action by London signals a tougher stance under Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who replaced Keir Starmer in July. Starmer's previous government had already recognised a Palestinian state and imposed some sanctions on specific entities.
France and Canada echoed the sentiment. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot stated on X that France "will end trade" with the settlements. Prime Ministers Andy Burnham, Emmanuel Macron, and Canadian leader Mark Carney issued a joint declaration warning that the settlements "pose a direct and urgent threat" to any two-state solution for the conflict. Nine other European nations – Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden – also signed a statement criticizing "unprecedented levels of settler violence and settlement expansion."
But the United States isn't joining this chorus. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington won't impose similar sanctions, claiming it doesn't want to destabilize the occupied territory. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue expanding settlements, including the controversial E1 plan, which would construct 1,200 housing units and further sever East Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank. This plan, approved last year after being frozen for decades, has faced widespread international condemnation.
The West Bank is home to over 500,000 Israelis living in settlements, alongside about three million Palestinians. Since the start of the Gaza war following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, Israeli forces or settlers have killed at least 1,105 Palestinians in the territory, according to AFP data compiled from the Palestinian health ministry. London has now sanctioned 38 individuals in connection with settler activity, five of whom were newly targeted for allegedly inciting and carrying out violent attacks against Palestinians.