Britain has announced an import ban on some services linked to Israeli settlements in the West Bank, as well as accused settlers of ‘ethnically cleansing’ Palestinians in some regions.

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced in Parliament on 8th September 2026 that the UK would ‘take action against specific companies and individuals who provide services such as construction, infrastructure, financing or real estate for settlement expansion.’

He warned those who finance or facilitate illegal settlements would face ‘the full force of UK sanctions.’

He further stated that the UK Government would call out what was unlawful and act on the imports from illegal settlers, including banning the advertisement of illegal settlements, as well as acting on services to prevent new settler expansion.

France has also announced that it would be imposing its own bans, with Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot saying on Tuesday that ‘France is going to put an end to its commerce with Israeli settlements in Palestine, along with 11 other countries which have also undertaken similar engagements,’ he wrote on Twitter (X).

Equally, Canada’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Anita Anand released a joint statement on behalf of the foreign ministers of Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Spain, Sweden, and others regarding the two-state solution.

‘The Government of Israel’s actions in the West Bank are undermining the possibility of a two-state solution,’ it reads.

The governments of the UK, France, and Canada say that that amid ‘unprecedented levels of settler violence, and settlement expansion,’ leaders of the countries have agreed that further action is necessary.

The statement further says that the aforementioned countries ‘confirm their intention to introduce national and/or support European restrictions on trade in goods with settlements which are illegal under international law, or that they are actively considering these and other measures, in accordance with their national procedures.’

‘We firmly oppose actions tantamount to the annexation of Palestinian land and forcible displacement of the Palestinian population.’

In response, Israel has said that it was closing Britain’s consulate in East Jerusalem.

Britain will no longer be a part of the US-led coordination for Gaza, and some British officials and other nationals will be banned from entering Israel, Gideon Saar, the Israeli Foreign Minister said on Tuesday.

‘The British move is morally distorted, and constitutes blatant interference in the affairs of a sovereign state and its electoral process’, he said, adding that Ed Miliband’s comments about ethnic cleansing of Palestinians by Israel were ‘outrageous lies’.

Saar said that he had coordinated Israel’s response to the import ban promises with Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israel will hold a general election in October, with Netanyahu leading the Likud party into the election for the twelfth time. Polling suggests that his coalition could fall short of the 61 seats needed to form a majority in the Knesset.