UK, France, Canada Target Israeli Settlement Goods
Key Developments:
- Britain, France and Canada announced measures to ban imports of goods produced in Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
- Israel announced plans to close its British consulate in East Jerusalem and impose additional measures on British officials.
- Twelve countries backed or said they were considering trade restrictions linked to Israeli settlements, while the US opposed imposing similar import restrictions.
LONDON/OTTOWA (The Globe And Mail/Reuters) — September 09, 2026: Diplomatic tensions between Israel and several Western countries have intensified after Britain, France and Canada announced coordinated measures targeting goods produced in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
The three countries said the measures are intended to protect the prospects of a two-state solution, citing continued settlement expansion and rising settler violence. Their joint statement said settlements are illegal under international law and announced plans to restrict imports from them as well as impose targeted measures on entities involved in settlement activity.
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The move forms part of a wider diplomatic initiative involving 12 countries. Foreign ministers from Britain, France, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden said they would introduce or support restrictions on trade in goods from settlements that they regard as illegal under international law.
An Israeli flag is left in a field near the Palestinian village of Jit, in the West Bank on September 8, 2026 in Jit, West Bank. CREDIT: Amir Levy/Getty.
Britain has gone further by announcing a ban on imports of goods produced by Israeli settlements in the West Bank, along with targeted sanctions against businesses and individuals involved in settlement expansion. The UK government said the policy was prompted by concerns over settlement growth and violence and its impact on the possibility of establishing a viable Palestinian state.
Speaking in the House of Commons, British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said settler violence and settlement expansion amounted to “ethnic cleansing” in the West Bank. He said Britain could no longer remain a spectator and needed to take practical steps to protect the prospects of a two-state settlement.
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The UK government has also said the measures are directed at settlement activity rather than the Israeli population as a whole. In their joint statement, Britain, France and Canada reiterated their support for Israel’s security and said they wanted Israel and a future Palestinian state to exist alongside one another in peace and security.
Israel has strongly rejected the measures. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar described Britain’s decision as “morally misleading and blatant interference” in Israel’s internal affairs, according to reporting on his response.
In retaliation, Sa’ar announced that Israel would close the British consulate in East Jerusalem. Israel also said it would remove British representatives from a joint military coordination centre, end British training for Palestinian Authority security forces and impose entry restrictions on a number of British officials and lawmakers.
Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs Ed Miliband arrives in Downing Street to attend weekly Cabinet meeting in London on Sept. 8, 2026. CREDIT: Wiktor Szymanowicz—Future Publishing via Getty Images.
The British consulate in East Jerusalem plays a significant role in the UK’s engagement with Palestinian affairs, including the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem. The British ambassador to Israel is separately based at the UK’s embassy in Tel Aviv.
France and Canada have also backed the coordinated restrictions. In their joint statement with Britain, French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said settlement expansion, including Israel’s decision to advance the E1 settlement project, poses a threat to the two-state solution.
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The E1 area is particularly sensitive because of its location between East Jerusalem and the wider West Bank. Governments supporting the two-state framework have repeatedly expressed concern that settlement development there could affect the territorial continuity of a future Palestinian state.
Washington has taken a different position. The United States has indicated that it will not impose comparable restrictions on imports from Israeli settlements, with US officials warning that such measures could further complicate the situation in the West Bank.
A view over the Jewish settlement of Kedumim, in the West Bank on September 8, 2026. CREDIT: Amir Levy via Getty Images.
The latest measures mark another deterioration in relations between Israel and some of its traditional Western partners. Britain, France and Canada said their objective remains a negotiated two-state solution, while Israel has condemned the trade restrictions and responded with diplomatic countermeasures.
The dispute is expected to remain a major issue in international discussions as governments weigh further measures concerning settlement expansion, Palestinian statehood and the future of the two-state framework.
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