The UK ban, announced on September 8, prohibits imports from settlements that are considered illegal under international law, marking a significant shift in British policy toward the conflict. The move comes amid a surge in settler violence that the BBC reports is on track to hit record levels this year, with attacks spreading to new areas of the West Bank.
Days earlier, on September 5, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee condemned Israeli settler violence as an “act of terror,” saying he visited American citizens in Turmusayya and other communities “who are disturbed by people who have created extraordinary challenges that are unfair.” Huckabee’s remarks are a rare public rebuke of settlers by a senior U.S. official.
On September 2, Israeli protesters took to the streets to call for an end to settler violence, reflecting growing domestic unease. However, a prominent settler rabbi on August 30 publicly stated that Palestinians should leave the occupied West Bank, a position that aligns with the far-right elements of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government.
The Israeli army on August 29 arrested six Palestinians following settler violence, though no reports indicate arrests of settlers themselves. The same day, an international news team was attacked by settlers, underscoring the risks faced by journalists covering the crisis. The Guardian reported that the violence is reverberating far beyond the West Bank, with a Palestinian-American family in Qusra under siege by settlers, their relative in Ohio watching via livestream.
The UK sanctions apply to settlement goods only and do not target Israel proper, but officials in London have described the move as a necessary step to uphold international law. The European Union ministers recently discussed settlement trade and Ukraine defence in Ireland, suggesting further European action may follow.