Foreign Secretary 'standing up for British values' as he admits Israeli response to West Bank sanctions was 'regrettably' expected

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On Tuesday morning Mr Miliband announced a fresh package of tougher sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements in unison with France and Canada, including a ban on goods produced there and an embargo on weapons exports that “materially” support them.

The Israeli government has “turned a blind eye” to the “ethnic cleansing” of Palestinians in the West Bank by “settler terrorists”, Ed Miliband told the House of Commons yesterday as he announced a major shift in the Government's stance.

Benjamin Netanyahu's government has retaliated by announcing plans to close the UK's consulate in Jerusalem after Mr Miliband unveiled sanctions on goods produced in the occupied West Bank.

The Foreign Secretary told Nick Ferrari on LBC: "We obviously thought in advance that it was possible that Israel would unfortunately and regrettably react."

He added: "We couldn't continue to stand by in the face of this destruction. And that's why we did what we did."

Read More: Taking action against illegal Israeli settlements on the West Bank has enormous implications, writes Andrew Marr

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Mr Miliband rejected warnings that the sanctions could be antisemitic or put British Jews at greater risk.

He said: “British Jews, or Jews anywhere, should not be held responsible for the actions of the government of Israel. That is antisemitism, pure and simple.”

He added that the Government would “do absolutely everything we can to protect the Jewish community.”

Mr Miliband said yesterday: "The British government agrees that there is ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in areas of the West Bank - perpetrated by settler terrorists.

"And all too often, the Israeli government has turned a blind eye to this and worse, members of it have made statements and taken actions to support the forced displacement of Palestinians."

His comments mark the first time a member of the Government has accused Israeli settlers of ethnic cleansing.

The foreign secretary told MPs that the government's objection was "not with the people of Israel, with whom the UK has unshakeable bonds".

He said the argument was "with the conduct of its government".

He specified that the sanctions would only apply to specific settlements, saying: "We will continue to support important and valued trade with green line Israel precisely because we support the two-state solution, including security and prosperity for Israel."

Following the announcement of the new sanctions regime, Israel's foreign minister confirmed that the UK's consulate in Jerusalem would be closed.

Foreign Affairs Minister of Israel Gideon Saar also said UK representatives would be expelled from the International Centre for Assistance in Gaza and Kiryat Gat in Israel and that British activity training Palestinian Authority forces in Ramat HaSharon in Israel would also be banned.

He warned that "the message to any government that seeks to harm us is clear. Those who act against Israel, Israel will act against them, and they will lose up their influence and relevance in the region".

The announcement will likely deepen tensions with the US which is expected to release a statement about the sanctions soon.

The US ambassador warned earlier today that there would "without a doubt" be a US reaction if the UK pushes ahead with sanctions on settlements in the West Bank.

Despite maintaining that there was increasing evidence that Israel had committed war crimes in Gaza, Mr Miliband stopped short of saying it was responsible for a genocide – maintaining the UK’s position that could only be decided by international courts.

But Mr Miliband told MPs the “new approach” was necessary because plans for the E1 development in the West Bank would render a two-state solution “unviable” by “cutting through the heart of Palestine”.

He said more settlements had been approved under the four years of Mr Netanyahu’s government than in the previous 20 years, and settler terrorism in the West Bank was “rampant”.

Legislation for the new sanctions regime could take up to nine months to put in place, Mr Miliband said, but he promised immediate sanctions against “extremist settlers who have supported or incited acts of violence”.

Mr Miliband said the Government would now refuse all applications for the export of weapons and equipment that would “materially contribute to the occupation”.

On Gaza, the Foreign Secretary said there had been “the most unimaginable trauma and suffering” which was “a stain on the conscience of the world and of this country too”.

In a criticism of Sir Keir Starmer’s administration, in which he served, Mr Miliband said new Prime Minister Mr Burnham was “right to say that the Labour government has not done enough in the face of what is happening”.

The Foreign Secretary acknowledged Israel had “the right not to live in fear of vile terrorism” and to defend its territory and people following the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023.

“But that cannot justify what has happened in Gaza,” he said.