Key facts
- Prominent British Arabs have called on the UK government to impose legally binding rules on Israeli settlements.
- The signatories urged Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband to act on obligations including non-recognition and non-assistance.
- The letter requests measures such as restrictions on UK economic activity benefiting settlements and sanctions.
- It also calls for a mechanism to protect Palestinian civilians from settler violence.
- The UK government has indicated it will announce new measures against Israel regarding settlement construction.
Prominent British Arabs have urged the UK government to move beyond condemning illegal Israeli settlements and implement legally binding rules to prevent British economic activity from supporting their expansion. In a joint letter to Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, dated August 24, 2026, the signatories called on the government to uphold its recognized legal obligations, including the duty to prevent trade or investment that sustains settlements.
The letter questions the sufficiency of current UK measures, such as voluntary guidance and targeted sanctions, in meeting these obligations. It specifically requests that UK ministers utilize available powers, in conjunction with international partners, to immediately halt British financial or business involvement in the growth of Israeli settlements. Signatories include leaders from various British-Arab organizations, such as Adnan Hmidan, chairman of the Palestinian Forum in Britain, and Sabah Almukhtar, president of the Arab Lawyers Association in the UK.
Among the proposed measures are binding restrictions on economic activities benefiting settlements, expanded sanctions to include individuals and companies, full differentiation in government procurement, and collaboration with international partners to prevent circumvention. The letter references the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 and the UK's 2016 vote in favor of a UN Security Council resolution deeming settlements unlawful, as well as the July 2024 ICJ advisory opinion. Additionally, the signatories requested the establishment of a mechanism to protect Palestinian civilians from settler violence, citing a 1994 UN resolution.
The UK government has previously indicated its intention to announce new measures against Israel concerning settlement construction east of Jerusalem, which it views as a threat to a two-state solution. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has criticized the E1 settlement plan and stated that Britain would outline broader measures in the coming weeks.