11 countries to join UK with ban on goods from ‘illegal settlements' in the West Bank

The British government has announced a broad package of measures targeting Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including a ban on settlement goods and sanctions against companies and individuals involved in their expansion.

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband told Parliament that the government would also withhold certain export licences for weapons or equipment considered to materially support Israel’s presence in the territory.

“Our argument is not with the people of Israel, with whom the UK has unshakeable bonds. Our argument is with the conduct of its government,” Miliband said. He accused violent settlers of seeking to drive Palestinians from parts of the West Bank.

Israel strongly rejected the measures. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar described them as “blatant interference” in an Israeli election and called Britain’s allegations “scandalous” and “false.”

Israel subsequently announced that it would close the British consulate in East Jerusalem and expel UK representatives from a Gaza support coordination center in response to the sanctions.

The British initiative is part of a broader effort involving Canada and 10 other European countries. In a joint statement, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom confirmed that they intend to introduce national restrictions, support European measures or actively consider other action against trade in settlement goods.

The countries described the settlements as illegal under international law and said the restrictions were intended to prevent further harm. Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Norway and Belgium have already taken related steps.

France separately confirmed that it would join the effort to restrict imports from Israeli settlements.

The United States, however, ruled out participating. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington would “obviously” not follow Britain’s lead.

“Obviously, we’re not going to do what the UK has done,” Rubio told reporters in Miami. He added that the United States did not want to see “anything destabilizing” in the West Bank, where tensions have risen amid settlement expansion and violence by settlers.

The Board of Deputies of British Jews, the principal representative organization of Britain’s Jewish community, later expressed “deep regret” over the UK government’s decision. It warned that deteriorating relations between London and Jerusalem could harm security and economic ties while further inflaming tensions inside Britain.

“With the approach of the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah, as concerns for the safety of the community are at their highest level, this decision will be felt particularly acutely by British Jews,” the organization said.

The Board also questioned the timing of the announcement during an Israeli election campaign, warning that it could produce “perverse consequences” contrary to Britain’s stated objectives. It urged both governments not to put partisan considerations ahead of their national interests.

At the same time, the organization condemned violence by Israeli settlers as “intolerable” and said it had warned the Israeli government that such attacks, along with measures it considered provocative, were damaging Israel’s international standing and undermining prospects for peace and security.

The Board nevertheless argued that the British government had paid insufficient attention to the role of Palestinian leaders and other hostile actors in the region. It called on both London and Jerusalem to exercise “wisdom and restraint” and avoid a further escalation.