UK sanctions Israeli West Bank settlements, calling them ethnic cleansing amid muted US response

In a striking policy shift, Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband told the House of Commons that Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank constitutes ethnic cleansing and terrorism, and announced a sanctions package against the settlements. The decision, prepared in just six weeks, was synchronized with similar actions by France and Canada and reflects Labour’s push for a two-state solution after earlier criticism of its Gaza stance.

US ambassador Mike Huckabee hinted at possible sanctions against the UK, but the White House quickly distanced itself, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio declined to comment. President Donald Trump later said he was reviewing the situation but did not condemn the UK, a stance reportedly shaped by briefings from Melania Trump and Jared Kushner. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu labeled the UK the “Islamic Republic of Britain” and announced plans to close the British diplomatic mission to the Palestinians and restrict British personnel. The sanctions have provoked mixed reactions within the British Jewish community and heightened concerns about a deepening diplomatic rift between the UK and Israel.