Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has dismissed warnings from the UK’s chief rabbi that British Jews face higher risk following the Government’s decision to impose sanctions on Israeli settlement activity in the occupied West Bank. Speaking after Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis criticised the move, Miliband said he disagreed with the rabbi’s assessment. He described himself as a “proud British Jew” and said people should do more to tackle antisemitism while also insisting the Government could do so alongside defending British values. Mirvis had said the sanctions marked a “dark day”, arguing they would bolster the extremism they were meant to counter. Miliband responded that he did not share that view and added that blaming Jews in Britain, or elsewhere, for actions taken by Israel’s government amounts to antisemitism. Sanctions Announced With A Stated RationaleThe UK’s measures relate to trade and services connected to illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank. Miliband told MPs that a “new approach” was required in response to plans for the E1 development, a settlement project he said would cut the West Bank off from East Jerusalem and split the territory. He also told the House of Commons that the Government agreed there was ethnic cleansing in parts of the occupied West Bank. Miliband said settlement authorities and “settler terrorists” were driving Palestinians from land, and that Israel’s government had too often ignored the issue. Picture courtesy of BBC The sanctions are intended to target companies and individuals that provide services such as construction and financing for settlements. There will also be a ban on advertising illegal settlements in the UK, and Miliband said the steps could take up to nine months to be implemented. Rising Antisemitism Cited Across The UKThe sanctions are being introduced at a time of growing anti-Jewish incidents in Britain. The Community Security Trust (CST) said it recorded 1,926 antisemitic incidents across the UK in the first six months of 2026, up 21% compared with the same period the previous year. In Parliament, Prime Minister Andy Burnham defended the decision, telling MPs that the country had to uphold fairness and oppose injustice. He added that the Government would stand with those being “bullied out of their homes”. The Palestinian presidency welcomed the sanctions, calling them an “important step” towards challenging Israel’s “colonial system” and violations against Palestinians. Jewish Community Reaction Splits Over SecurityReactions inside the UK Jewish community were mixed. The Jewish Leadership Council warned the Government’s policy could amount to a practical boycott of Israel and accused Miliband of bowing to pressure from extreme figures within British society. The Board of Deputies of British Jews said the timing of the announcement—before Rosh Hashanah, which begins on Friday—raised serious concerns for communal security. It also argued that a worsening UK-Israel relationship could inflame tensions in Britain, while noting it had previously warned Israel over “intolerable settler violence” affecting its own standing. Greater Manchester Police said it would assign extra staff and resources during the Jewish High Holy Days to increase “visibility and security”. Ch Supt Dave Meeney said officers would continue working with local Jewish communities during what he described as an important period that may heighten concerns. Na’amod, a UK Jews’ movement that says it wants to end Israel’s occupation and support equality for Palestinians and Israelis, welcomed the sanctions. It said it had waited years for the Government to act, and rejected the idea that the measures would inevitably feed antisemitism. The Movement for Progressive Judaism said vulnerability of British Jews should not be ignored, but argued that steps targeting settlement activity are not the same as an attack on Jews. It urged care not to blur the line between the two. Diplomatic Row With Israel WidensIsrael has responded to the sanctions with diplomatic actions including closing the British consulate in East Jerusalem and barring 11 MPs and a campaigner from entering the country. On Wednesday, Israel’s Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli wrote to Israeli border control recommending entry be refused to additional British-linked organisations. The list included Oxfam, Save the Children, Norwegian Refugee Council, Islamic Relief Worldwide, and Medical Aid for Palestinians. Announcing the sanctions in the Commons, Miliband said the Government agreed there was ethnic cleansing in parts of the occupied West Bank and cited settlement plans as a key driver for the policy change. Canada and France have also imposed similar bans on goods from settlements in a coordinated move with other allies. Join the discussion? 10 September 2026
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