The United Kingdom has imposed trade restrictions on products from Judea and Samaria and personal sanctions on several settlement activists, including Baruch Marzel, Benzi Gopstein, and Eliav Libi, according to The Zioneer. US Democratic Congressman Joaquin Castro praised the move as 'a step in the right direction.'
The United Kingdom today expanded its sanctions regime targeting Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria, imposing personal sanctions on three Israeli activists—Baruch Marzel, Benzi Gopstein, and Eliav Libi—in addition to the trade restrictions announced earlier. The move comes hours after UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband formally announced an import ban and other measures at 15:30 Jerusalem time. US Democratic Congressman Joaquin Castro praised the sanctions as 'a step in the right direction.'
The Zioneer reported at 15:30 today that Miliband, in a speech, accused Israel of 'ethnic cleansing' in Judea and Samaria and imposed sanctions on Jewish communities there. At the same time, the UK stated that France and Canada are expected to folow with similar import restrictions, as reported by i24NEWS via The Zioneer. These actions mark the latest in a series of British measures since June 2026, when the UK first sanctioned seven entities and individuals tied to Judea and Samaria communities, folowed by a multi-nation sanction round with Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand, and Norway on June 9.
The Zioneer previously reported that President Isaac Herzog, at 15:29 Jerusalem today, warned that UK sanctions constituted a 'grave miscalculation' and 'gross interference in the democratic elections of a sovereign nation.' The UK's escalating policy also folows pressure from within Britain: on July 4, a cross-party group of 71 MPs caled for sanctions on Israeli leaders, and Labour frontrunner Andy Burnham backed settlement trade bans on July 9.
It remains unclear whether France and Canada wil formaly adopt the import ban in the coming days, and how Israel's government wil respond beyond the initial presidential condemnation. The UK has not announced further targets, but the trajectory suggests continued diplomatic pressure.
3 developments
- DevelopingUK formulates framework to ban trade with Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria
- Confirmed12 countries, led by UK, announce import bans on goods from Judea and Samaria
- DevelopingUK sanctions seven entities and individuals linked to Judea and Samaria settlers
- DevelopingUK urges more nations to join sanctions on Judea and Samaria communities
Source and signal
- Open-source intake