UK set to ban trade with illegal settlements in occupied West Bank: reports

Miliband to announce 'broad reset' of relations with Israel to protect viability of Palestinian state, local media say

The United Kingdom is preparing to implement a formal ban on trade with illegal settlements established in the occupied West Bank, according to British media reports Monday.

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband is expected to announce a “broad reset” of the UK’s relations with Israel, The Guardian reported. The planned measures would prohibit the trade of goods and certain services from the illegal areas, including their financing and advertising. The intervention intends to halt the expansion of outposts which are seen as an attempt to dismantle the prospects for a sovereign Palestinian nation.

The Independent noted that the policy shift was accelerated by the recent advancement of the “E1” project, a strategic corridor designed to sever the northern and southern parts of the occupied West Bank. Miliband characterised the expansion as an “unacceptable and destructive act,” signaling a move toward active intervention to preserve the two-state solution.

Read: Gaza Peace Board high official warns roadmap failure could make two-state solution impossible

The UK formally recognised the State of Palestine on September 2025, aligning with more than 140 other United Nations member states.

Miliband is also expected to utilise “firmer language” than his predecessors regarding the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Reports indicate the statement will maintain that the Israeli military, "in the name of security, are placing unnecessary controls" on aid entering Gaza.

While London has reportedly kept open the option of joining South Africa’s legal challenge at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, Netherlands, the principal judicial organ of the UN, the current package is not expected to utilise the label of genocide, according to The Guardian.

Read More: Israel's Ben-Gvir plans to relocate 1.86m Palestinians from Gaza over 7 years: report

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham condemned the expansion of illegal settlements Monday, promising that “comprehensive measures” would be announced soon.

The move follows data from the UN indicating that violence by Israeli occupiers has reached “unprecedented levels,” with more than 1,400 attacks resulting in casualties or property damage documented in 2026 alone.

Approximately 750,000 Israeli occupiers currently reside in 516 illegal settlements and outposts across the occupied territory, carrying out near-daily efforts to displace Palestinians from their land.