British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced on Tuesday an import ban on goods from “illegal” settlements in the West Bank, as well as sanctions against specific individuals and businesses providing services such as construction, instruction, financing or real estate for “settlement” expansion.
Miliband fronted his Commons speech by saying he is “Proud of [his] Jewishness and unwavering in [his] support for the state of Israel,” and that there is “absolutely no contradiction between this and [his] support for the state of Palestine.” He stated, “What we seek today is to salvage the only cause for peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians: the two-state solution.”
Israel struck back hard against Britain on Tuesday in response to a fresh round of sanctions against Jews in Judea and Samaria announced earlier in the day by UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, who is himself Jewish.
Acting with the agreement of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced in response that has ordered four countermeasures against what he described as a broader pattern of hostile actions by the Labour government:
* Closure of the British Consulate in Jerusalem;
* Removal of British representatives from the International Gaza Support Center in Kiryat Gat;
* Termination of British-run training for Palestinian Authority forces in Judea and Samaria under the “British Support Team in Ramallah”; and
* Denial of entry to Israel for 12 British elected officials and other British nationals tied to antisemitic or anti-Israel activity, including those who deny Israel’s very right to exist.
AFSI Insight
Milliband’s comments—the delusional call for a “two-state solution”—cannot go unanswered. AFSI condemns the UK, France, and Canada for targeting Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria with discriminatory trade bans, sanctions, and boycotts that reward Palestinian rejectionism and undermine Israel’s legitimate rights to its historic homeland. AFSI strongly supports Israel’s decision to respond with meaningful diplomatic consequences and urges Israel to make clear that foreign governments cannot attack its sovereignty without facing a firm response.
12 countries announce boycott of goods from settlements, by Assaf Uni/Globes, September 8, 2026