UK Sanctions Israeli Settlements, Cites 'Ethnic Cleansing'

The United Kingdom announced Tuesday, September 8, 2026, a significant shift in its policy toward Israel, implementing trade sanctions on goods produced in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband stated in Parliament that the British government now officially regards Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory as unlawful, a move accompanied by accusations that Israeli settlers are committing "ethnic cleansing" and "settler terrorism" against Palestinians. The sanctions, which will take effect within six to nine months, include an import ban on goods from settlements, sanctions against companies and individuals facilitating settlement expansion, and a ban on advertising settlement properties in Britain. The government will also refuse all license applications for arms and other exports that materially contribute to the occupation, building on previously suspended export licenses for arms used in Gaza. Miliband emphasized that these measures target settlements and the occupation, not Israel itself, and reaffirmed the UK's commitment to the two-state solution and its "unwavering" support for the State of Israel.