UK Targets Israel’s Disputed West Bank E1 Settlement

Tue Sep 08 2026 20:32:31 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

UK sanctions aim to halt construction of the controversial E1 site in the West Bank, sparking diplomatic tensions.

The UK’s Foreign Secretary has announced sanctions on Israeli settlements and called for a ban on imports from ‘illegal’ West Bank settlements. The move specifically targets the proposed E1 development, a 1,200‑home plan near Ma’ale Adumim. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar responded by threatening to close the British consulate and dubbed the policy hostile. The report notes the UK’s aim to deter further settlement expansion, amid broader international debates on the legality and ethical implications of the West Bank projects.

UK Targets Israel’s Disputed West Bank E1 Settlement

In a blunt statement to Parliament, UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced new sanctions on Israeli settlements in the West Bank, with the primary focus on the proposed E1 development. The plan would add 1,200 homes near Ma'ale Adumim, a settlement already under scrutiny for its impact on Palestinian communities.

Miliband warned that the UK would ban the import of goods from Israel’s ‘illegal’ settlements to deter further expansion. He accused Israeli settlers of carrying out “ethnic cleansing” and said the government had “turned a blind eye” to these actions.

In response, Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar threatened to close the British consulate in Jerusalem and labelled the UK’s new policy as hostile. The diplomatic clash follows earlier UK criticism of settlement policies that the international community has long objected to.

The BBC correspondent Lucy Williamson reports on the ground from Ma'ale Adumim, documenting the skyline of the potential new E1 site and the surrounding tensions. Her coverage highlights how the UK’s sanctions are part of a wider move by several countries to curb settlement expansion, despite the complex political dynamics in the region.