The UK is preparing a ban on trade with unlawful Israeli settlements, according to reports surrounding a policy scheduled for announcement on Tuesday by Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband. Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the occupied territories, told the Guardian that the planned restrictions represent a crucial change in stance by the British government. The move follows Miliband’s vow to act more decisively against Israeli settlements and ongoing aid restrictions into Gaza, which sparked fierce criticism from US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.
Diplomatic Clash and Official Reactions
Following Miliband’s statements, US Ambassador Mike Huckabee wrote on X in support of the Israeli foreign ministry’s criticisms, claiming that Downing Street was motivated by “Jew hatred”. Huckabee did not mention in his statement that Miliband is himself Jewish. Meanwhile, the Israeli foreign ministry stated that “there are no restrictions whatsoever on bringing medicines into the Gaza Strip, and that no medicine is being blocked.” Palestinian groups in the UK are holding judgment until they see the fine detail of Miliband’s policy.
Expected to be the most significant shift since former foreign secretary David Lammy withdrew most arms export licences in September 2024, the upcoming policy faces intense international scrutiny. Francesca Albanese noted she would “not join those dismissing it as theatre before the details had been announced.” She emphasized that a trade ban must form part of a broader paradigm shift aimed at implementing the 2024 International Court of Justice advisory opinion, which declared Israel’s presence in the occupied territories unlawful in its entirety.
Did You Know? The International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion in 2024 stating that Israel’s presence in the occupied territories is unlawful in its entirety, obligating states not to render aid or assistance in maintaining it.
Scope of Sanctions and Settlement Tenders
Albanese warned that the trade ban cannot be narrowly confined to agricultural products and cosmetics, as these represent only a fraction of what sustains the occupation. According to the UN expert, the package should also encompass trade in services, the progressive suspension of British intelligence cooperation, all arms licensing, and unexamined flights out of RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. Without these wider measures, she warned the changes could come to be seen as a press release rather than a true reckoning.
She also addressed the tender for the E1 settlement project near Ma’ale Adumim, which threatens to sever East Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank. Pointing out that bids close a week before Israel’s elections on 27 October, Albanese stressed that the UK government cannot let the tenders simply pass. Because Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated that E1 is designed to bury the idea of a Palestinian state, she urged London to threaten sanctions against finance, insurance, and construction firms cooperating with the project.
International Accountability and Court Sanctions
Beyond settlement trade, Albanese called on the UK government to join South Africa before the ICJ and support Nicaragua during preliminary oral objections regarding German arms sales. She additionally urged the UK to issue guidance advising domestic firms not to overcomply with US sanctions targeting International Criminal Court officials, deputy prosecutors, judges, and human rights defenders. According to her statements, these US penalties have frozen bank accounts for individuals performing legitimate judicial functions or providing requested evidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What prompted the UK’s planned trade restrictions?
The planned restrictions follow Ed Miliband’s vow to act more decisively against Israeli settlements and continued restrictions of aid into Gaza, which he stated reinforced the need for swift action.
What did Francesca Albanese say about the scope of the trade ban?
Albanese stated that the ban cannot be narrowly confined to goods like agricultural products and cosmetics, arguing that it must include services, arms licensing, intelligence cooperation, and action against firms financing projects like E1.
How did US and Israeli officials react to the UK’s stance?
US Ambassador Mike Huckabee claimed Downing Street was motivated by “Jew hatred,” while the Israeli foreign ministry criticized the foreign secretary for ignoring facts regarding medicine deliveries to Gaza.
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