The UK government is preparing a “comprehensive” package of measures in response to Israel’s expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has said Britain will take stronger action, particularly over the planned E1 settlement project, which the UK says could undermine the possibility of a future Palestinian state and threaten the two-state solution.
The measures are expected to include a possible ban on trade in goods produced in Israeli settlements. The government is expected to provide further details of its policy on September 8.
The issue has attracted strong international attention. UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese welcomed the proposed settlement-goods ban as an important change in UK policy, but argued that broader measures—including restrictions involving services and arms licensing—would be needed for a more significant policy shift.
The UK’s move comes amid growing international criticism of Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank. Israel disputes the international legal characterization of its settlement policy, while the UK and other governments argue that settlement expansion threatens a negotiated two-state solution.
News as Reported.
