UK sanctions Israeli West Bank settlements to support two-state solution

The United Kingdom is turning up the economic pressure on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, sanctioning entities tied to settler violence and laying the groundwork for a broader trade ban on settlement-produced goods. On June 9, 2026, the UK designated six entities and one individual for asset freezes, working in lockstep with Australia, Canada, and France. Those sanctions also carry travel bans and disqualifications from serving as company directors, targeting networks that finance settler violence rather than just individual perpetrators. From guidance updates to trade bans The June sanctions were paired with a quieter but arguably more consequential move. The UK government updated its official business guidance to explicitly advise British companies against engaging in economic or financial activities within illegal Israeli settlements. It was the first time such advice had been formalized. That guidance drew a careful line: trade with Israel within its pre-1967 borders remains supported. The settlements, in the UK’s view, are a separate matter entirely. By early September 2026, the policy trajectory steepened further. Under Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, who succee...