LONDON: Britain, France and Canada on Tuesday announced a trade ban on goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, saying the measures were aimed at protecting the prospect of a Palestinian state and a two-state solution.
The moves came as Israel faces growing diplomatic pressure over its policies in the occupied West Bank and its conduct in Gaza.
British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said Britain could no longer simply “call out” injustice and suffering but had to “act” against the expansion of Israeli settlements.
“Today we refuse to be bystanders to further suffering and to the destruction of the two-state solution,” Miliband told the House of Commons.
Watch my parliamentary statement on Israel and Palestine in full: pic.twitter.com/aVTJUrnQeE
— Ed Miliband (@Ed_Miliband) September 8, 2026
He said Britain considered the Israeli occupation of the West Bank unlawful and believed there was ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in parts of the territory.
The US, through its ambassador to Israel, has already criticised Britain’s new sanctions, while two Israeli ministers called for measures to be taken against Britain.
Miliband said Britain’s position is that the occupation in the West Bank is unlawful, and that London believes that there is ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in areas of the occupied West Bank.
The United Nations, Palestinians and most countries across the world regard Israeli settlements as illegal under international law.
Britain in 2025 joined other countries to recognise a Palestinian state as a means to promote a two-state solution, and in June it sanctioned Israeli networks involved in financing, enabling and carrying out violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Israel-UK relations have become increasingly strained in recent years with London criticising Israel’s conduct in Gaza, the expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank and rising settler attacks on Palestinians.
12 countries back trade restrictions
Miliband said Britain, France and Canada were joining the Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium, Spain and Norway in banning or planning to ban goods from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said 12 countries had announced plans to introduce national restrictions on trade in goods from Israeli settlements that they consider illegal under international law.
La France va mettre fin au commerce avec les colonies israéliennes situées dans les Territoires palestiniens occupés, avec onze autres pays qui ont pris des engagements du même ordre.
Pourquoi ?
Parce que la Cisjordanie est au bord de l'explosion : expansion effrénée de la… pic.twitter.com/mJStC3HgOk
— Jean-Noël Barrot (@jnbarrot) September 8, 2026
The 12 countries are France, Britain, Canada, Denmark, Spain, Finland, Ireland, Iceland, Norway, Poland, Portugal and Sweden.
In a joint foreign ministers’ statement, the countries said they intended to impose national restrictions on settlement trade and, where applicable, support European restrictions.
France, Britain and Canada said they would propose national measures to prohibit trade in goods originating from the settlements. The statement also welcomed measures already taken by Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Norway and Belgium.
For more than 70 years, successive Canadian governments have held the position that a two-state solution is the way forward for long-term peace that also addresses Israel’s legitimate security concerns. Illegal settlements in the West Bank significantly undermine these… pic.twitter.com/geteRLuLWk
— Anita Anand (@AnitaAnandMP) September 8, 2026
The ministers said settlement expansion and settler violence had reached unprecedented levels and criticised Israel’s decision to issue tenders for the E1 settlement project.
They said the developments threatened the possibility of a two-state solution and stressed their opposition to the annexation of Palestinian land and the forced displacement of Palestinians.
The countries called on Israel to halt settlement expansion and civilian administrative powers in the occupied West Bank. They also urged that settlers responsible for violence be held accountable and allegations involving Israeli forces be investigated.
