UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband publicly denounced Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, particularly criticizing the E1 settlement project as a "red line" that risks making a Palestinian state unviable. Miliband said the government "will not acquiesce in the destruction of the two-state solution" and promised "a comprehensive set of measures in the coming weeks" to address the issue [1, 2, 3, 4].
The E1 settlement plan includes about 3,400 planned homes, with Israel having issued tenders for approximately one-third—1,200 homes—despite international opposition [2, 5]. Miliband stressed the UK will act to stop British companies from financing, building, or promoting new settlements. "We do not want British companies financing, constructing, or advertising new settlements," he said, adding more details will come soon [2, 6, 4].
The UK government’s response also targets a sharp rise in violence by settlers against Palestinians. The United Nations reported more than 1,430 violent settler attacks in the West Bank in 2026 through August. Miliband described the violence as "appalling settler terrorism" and reiterated plans to tackle settler violence alongside settlement expansion [5, 6, 4].
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his right-wing allies have stepped up support for settlement activities ahead of Israel’s October 27 national elections [5, 6]. The Israeli government has warned the UK against punitive measures. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said, "If Britain acts against the State of Israel, the State of Israel will act against Britain," adding that any British action would be a "huge mistake" [5, 6].
The UK and other European countries, including France, Germany, Italy, and the EU, issued a joint statement condemning the E1 settlement as unacceptable and undermining the two-state solution [2]. Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has considered trade bans on goods originating from illegal settlements [1].
Miliband also highlighted a broader review of the UK’s economic ties with the occupied territories to identify appropriate measures to respond to the settlement expansion and violence [2, 6].
British officials plan to announce the full package of coordinated actions against Israeli settlement activity and settler violence in the coming weeks, ahead of Israel’s October elections and in response to the ongoing tensions and attacks [1, 2, 4].
