UK, France, Canada sanction Israeli settlements and recognize West Bank ethnic cleansing
Coordinated move draws restrained US response as Britain bans settlement goods and arms licences.
KEY POINTS
- UK, France, Canada impose coordinated sanctions on Israeli settlements
- Governments recognize "ethnic cleansing" in West Bank, cite 2024 ICJ opinion
- UK bans settlement goods and arms licences supporting occupation
- US Secretary Rubio gives restrained response, says US will not follow suit
- British polling shows 46% public support for settlement trade ban
The United Kingdom, France, and Canada announced coordinated sanctions against Israeli settlements on Tuesday, including a ban on settlement goods and arms licences that sustain the occupation of the West Bank. The three governments also recognized the "ethnic cleansing" of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, citing the 2024 International Court of Justice advisory opinion that declared the occupation illegal.
British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband outlined the measures in parliament, describing them as the start of a comprehensive reset in UK policy toward Israel and Palestine. Prime Minister Andy Burnham briefed US President Donald Trump on Monday but has not spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu since taking office in July.
“We share the goal of stability. We don't want to see some uptick in violence or an uptick in conflict or tensions in the West Bank at a very tenuous time.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking from Colombia, offered a restrained response: "We share the goal of stability. We don't want to see some uptick in violence or an uptick in conflict or tensions in the West Bank." He confirmed the US was informed in advance but will not join the sanctions.
Bloomberg reported that UK diplomats privately told US counterparts the new measures are largely symbolic and lack tangible impact. Critics note the sanctions can be circumvented by rerouting supply chains and relabelling goods.
The announcement comes as Israel advances the E1 settlement project east of Jerusalem, which would effectively bisect the occupied West Bank. The three nations did not extend the ethnic cleansing designation to Gaza, where more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed since the Hamas-led attacks of 7 October 2023.
Domestic polling by Opinium for the European Council on Foreign Relations shows 46 percent of British adults support the settlement trade ban, with 18 percent opposed. Support rises to nearly three-quarters when those without an opinion are excluded.
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