UK official says behavior of next Israeli government could affect scope of West Bank sanctions

The scope of the United Kingdom’s newly announced sanctions targeting Israeli settlements in the West Bank could expand or narrow based on the actions of Israel’s next government, a British official told reporters Wednesday, without suggesting the measures could be abandoned altogether. “The government has flexibility in how it implements these measures,” the official said on condition of anonymity, pointing to remarks by British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband that London “will judge a new Israeli government by its actions,” and saying technical details will be discussed by ministers over the next six to nine months before their expected implementation. While London has set no specific conditions for reconsidering the measures, it broadly wants Israel to curb settlement expansion and settler violence, advance a political resolution with the Palestinians, and stop efforts to weaken or collapse the Palestinian Authority, the official said. Israel is set to vote for a new Knesset on October 27, and recent polling suggests a deadlock between the right-wing bloc led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and an opposition bloc made up of several anti-Netanyahu parties, many of whom have vowed to crack down on settler violence in the West Bank. However, most surveys show that neither bloc is likely to reach the 61 seats in the Knesset needed to form a majority government. The British official also said Israel had previously assured the UK, France and Germany that it would take no new steps on its E1 settlement project before the upcoming Israeli election, yet subsequently issued a housing tender set to close a week before the vote. He said this was one catalyst for Tuesday’s sanctions announcement. Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories Newsletter email address Get it By signing up, you agree to the terms While denouncing the sanctions and laying out Israeli countermeasures Tuesday, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar argued that E1’s advancement was “not a new decision,” as its formal approval was finalized in 2025 and the tender process had been underway for months. Illustrative: Palestinian students cross an Israeli checkpoint on their way to school at the start of the new academic year, near Hebron in the West Bank, September 6, 2026. (Wisam Hashlamoun/Flash90) The British official also criticized Israel’s countermeasure of removing British officials from the International Gaza Support Center in Kiryat Gat, saying that “all that the Israeli government has done in expelling our staff… is undermine efforts to implement [US President Donald Trump’s] 20-point plan [for Gaza.] That’s not a constructive response.” Despite contacts between senior counterparts ahead of the sanctions decision, including Sa’ar and Miliband, Netanyahu has not spoken with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham since Burnham took office in late July, the official added. Advertisement The planned import ban will cover goods from Israeli settlements throughout the West Bank, including the Jordan Valley, the official said, though whether it will apply to more sensitive places such as Jewish areas in East Jerusalem and the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City, for example, remains “undecided,” he said. East Jerusalem is considered a disputed territory under international law and dozens of countries have recognized it as Palestinian territory and the capital of a future state. However, its status is different than the rest of the West Bank, as Israel formally annexed the area in 1980, 13 years after capturing the territory during the 1967 Six Day War. Many of the dozens of Jewish settlements in East Jerusalem are, in practice, fully integrated neighborhoods of Jerusalem, which could further complicate the UK’s import ban. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband addresses the House of Commons, announcing a ban on all dealings with settlements, September 8, 2026. (House of Commons handout) Separately, the British official said that London plans to legislate for discretionary sanctions against companies, organizations and individuals supporting, constructing or financing “the settlement project,” saying that rather than automatically covering every business connected to settlements, ministers will choose whom to designate and could exempt entities such as Israeli banks. The official also confirmed that Israel has formally instructed the UK to close its East Jerusalem consulate within 30 days, saying it employs around 20 British diplomats and 60 local staff. This was echoed by two Israeli officials, who said Wednesday that London had been given one month to close the consulate, which represents Britain in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza on Palestinian issues. Israel also barred 12 British politicians from visiting the country, told British officials and diplomats in the Palestinian territories to leave, and said Britain can no longer train Palestinian security forces in the West Bank. Advertisement Burnham says move shows UK’s ‘leadership’ UK premier Burnham stood by the move in an address to lawmakers in parliament on Wednesday, saying that the sanctions demonstrate Britain’s “leadership on the world stage.” Burnham, who has been in the job since July, said Britain had long endorsed the two-state solution in the Middle East, but words needed to be backed by action. “Leadership is about taking action where there is injustice, where we need to correct unfairness, people being driven out of their homes,” he said. “In this difficult and dangerous world, Britain has to stand for something.” Britain’s Prime Minister Andy Burnham leaves 10 Downing Street to attend the weekly Prime Ministers’ Questions session in Parliament in London, September 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) “We will always stand with the underdog and take what action we can to support them,” he said. “That is leadership on the world stage, Britain being true to what it has always been about,” he said to cheers from his lawmakers. The UK ban on dealings with West Bank settlements comes amid soaring settler violence against Palestinians on a near-daily basis — an issue that the British government said it views as amounting to “ethnic cleansing of Palestinians… perpetrated by settler terrorists.” Arrests of Israelis involved in these attacks are rare, and critics have accused the government of condoning or even encouraging the violence. Settler business owners say sanctions could force closures, harm Palestinian workers Meanwhile, in the West Bank, settler business owners said the sanctions would dent their revenues, and at least one said they could force him to close his date farm and harm his Palestinian employees. Advertisement Yaakov Berg, head of the Psagot Winery near the Palestinian city of Ramallah, said Britain made up a big market for the winery, which exports around 60% of its wine. Israeli and Palestinian rights groups say the winery was established on privately owned Palestinian land. Berg said the sanctions were a reflection of antisemitic hate, something Britain and others reject. View of the fields at the Psagot vineyard settlement in the West Bank near the city of Ramallah. December 13, 2012. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90) “Sometimes you suffer. Sometimes you lose some money. That’s okay with us. We are not going to change the truth and who we are because of a few dollars,” Berg said. In Kibbutz Almog, a Jordan Valley settlement south of the Palestinian town of Jericho, one of the area’s many settler date farmers, 59-year-old Moses Gazi, said the sanctions could end up hurting the many Palestinians he employs on his farm. “If I can’t sell my dates to Europe, I need to close the business. I close the business, each of [the Palestinian workers] has something like three, four, five kids. What are they going to do?” he said. Help us report truthfully on social media As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos. This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world. If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism , please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to sustain responsible multimedia reporting. — Gabriella Jacobs, multimedia journalist Support our work Support our work Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this You're a dedicated reader We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month. That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world. So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community. For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE , as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members. Thank you, David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel Join Our Community Join Our Community Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this Most Popular 1 Comedians pull out of Lisbon festival after Jerry Seinfeld announced as headliner 2 Days before Oct. 7, UAE leader warned Netanyahu Hamas was planning war, but PM did nothing with info – report 3 Trump, briefed in advance, didn’t ask UK to wait with settlement sanctions — official 4 John Malkovich cancels 2027 Tel Aviv show, citing false quote attributed to him 5 Netanyahu to make quick trip to speak at UN after Mamdani urged his arrest, diplomat says 6 Denouncing ‘ethnic cleansing’ in West Bank, UK announces ban on all dealings with settlements 7 2026 Knesset election Israel’s election takes shape as 38 parties submit slates, in battle between pro- and anti-Netanyahu blocs 8 In first for Israel, ultra-Orthodox party picks a woman to run on its Knesset slate read more: Israel & the Region West Bank settlements British government Andy Burnham Israel-UK relations settler violence West Bank Ed Miliband East Jerusalem 2026 Israeli election If you’d like to comment, join The Times of Israel Community. JOIN THE TOI COMMUNITY Already a member? Log in here close popup Sign in or Join The Times of Israel Community Sign in or Register Paying ToI Community members are invited to comment on articles Email address * Please use the following structure: [email protected] Continue Or Continue with By joining you agree to the terms and conditions Send me The Times of Israel Daily Edition back close popup Register to continue Email address * Change REGISTER Or Continue with back close popup Log in to continue Email address * Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.. Continue back close popup Sign in or Join The Times of Israel Community Sign in or Register You are currently registered. Please join The Times of Israel Community to comment and enjoy other Community benefits Only ToI Community members can comment below articles Email address * Password * Incorrect password. Please try again or choose an option below. Forgot your password? / Send me a login link Continue Sign in without joining Or Continue with close popup Check your email We sent an email to you at . It has a link that will sign you in. Click the link in that email to complete registration so you can comment. back close popup Join The Times of Israel Community Commenting is available for paying members of The Times of Israel Community only. Please join our Community to comment and enjoy other Community benefits. Email address * Please use the following structure: [email protected] JOIN NOW! close popup Thank you! Now check your email You are now a member of The Times of Israel Community! We sent you an email with a login link to . Once you're set up, you can start enjoying Community benefits and commenting.