UK bans imports from Israeli West Bank settlements, citing ethnic cleansing claims
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British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced a ban on goods from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, joining several European nations, while the United States warned of possible repercussions.
British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said the United Kingdom will prohibit imports of products made in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, a move intended to pressure Israel over settlement expansion that London says undermines a two-state solution. Miliband told the House of Commons that the ban targets the conduct of the Israeli government, not the Israeli people, and cited reports of homes demolished, infrastructure destroyed and families displaced.
Canada and France announced parallel bans, and France is urging an EU-wide restriction. The United Kingdom joins Ireland, Spain, Norway, Belgium and the Netherlands, which have already limited trade in settlement-origin goods.
"Our argument is not with the people of Israel, with whom the U.K. has unshakeable bonds, our argument is with the conduct of its government," Miliband said.
The measures will focus on items specifically sourced from settlements and are not expected to take effect immediately. Critics warn that without precise definitions the restrictions could expand to broader Israeli products and services.
U.S. ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee described the decision as "irrational" and cautioned that British firms could face consequences in the United States.
"I don't understand what it's supposed to achieve," Huckabee told the BBC's Today programme.
Israeli officials responded sharply. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar warned of consequences, while Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for the expulsion of the British ambassador. Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to close the British consulate in East Jerusalem, accusing it of acting on behalf of the Palestinian Authority.