UK foreign secretary rejects chief rabbi's claim sanctions increase risk to British Jews
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Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said the new sanctions on West Bank settlements do not endanger British Jews, countering remarks by Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis.
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said he disagrees with Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis’s warning that Britain’s sanctions on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank put British Jews at greater risk. Miliband, who described himself as a "proud British Jew," told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that holding Jews responsible for Israeli government actions constitutes antisemitism.
The sanctions, announced by the UK government, target companies and individuals providing construction, financing and advertising services to illegal settlements. They are intended to address plans for the controversial E1 development, which Miliband said would fragment the West Bank. Implementation could take up to nine months.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham defended the measures as a stand for fairness and against injustice. The Palestinian presidency welcomed the decision as a step toward confronting Israel’s policies.
Reactions within the UK Jewish community were mixed. The chief rabbi called the sanctions "political flag-bearing" that could fuel hostile discourse about Israel. The Jewish Leadership Council warned the move could amount to a de-facto boycott of Israel, while the Board of Deputies of British Jews expressed concerns about heightened security risks ahead of the Jewish High Holy Days. Greater Manchester Police announced additional resources to ensure safety during the festival.
Jewish groups with differing views on Israel also responded. Na’amod, a movement of UK Jews advocating for an end to the occupation, welcomed the sanctions, saying they had waited years for such action. The Movement for Progressive Judaism cautioned against conflating measures aimed at settlements with attacks on Jews.
Israel has responded by closing its British consulate in East Jerusalem and banning several British MPs and a campaigner from entry. Israel’s Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli recommended that additional UK-linked organisations be denied entry, naming several charities.
The sanctions come amid a rise in antisemitic incidents in the UK, with the Community Security Trust reporting a 21% increase in anti-Jewish hate reports in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025.