Illegal settlements, settler violence and the West Bank

The Government’s actions on Tuesday 8th September were promising, finally moving in the right direction after years of empty promises. A ban on the trade of all goods and services with illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Territories is the right thing to do, is something the Liberal Democrats have been calling for for years, and is long overdue.

The Liberal Democrats have campaigned for years for the Government to take this critical step, and to clearly describe Israel's occupation in Palestine as illegal. In the weeks and months preceding Ed Miliband’s announcement, Liberal Democrat MPs ramped up pressure on Ministers to act, including by:

13/05/26: Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, Calum Miller MP, tabled an Early Day Motion on UK arms sales to Israel (here) and on the two-state solution in Israel and Palestine (here) both of which I have signed.
28/05/26: A letter to the former Foreign Secretary, urging her to bring in measures to stop UK complicity in E1 Settlement tendering which can be found here.
15/06/26: Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, Calum Miller MP, tabled an Early Day Motion on the 2nd anniversary of the ICJ’s advisory opinion on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, which I signed here.
25/08/26: A joint letter calling on the Government to introduce tougher sanctions, including a trade ban with illegal settlements, which I signed: here.
01/09/26: A letter to the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary the day before the announcement, outlining how the Government must ensure these measures are robust and enforceable: here.

For too long, successive governments have failed to rise to the occasion and meet their obligations under international law to ensure that the UK has no complicity in the sustainability of illegal settlements in the West Bank.

That is why I was relieved to see the Government finally taking action - though this step was long overdue.

The Liberal Democrats now call on the Government to move with urgency and implement these measures without delay. We must make sure no UK company, individual, or entity is complicit in the continuation or expansion of these settlements.

Indeed, I am a strong advocate for the two-state solution, and believe that it represents the only political settlement that can ever deliver peace, dignity, and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike.

We are also calling on the Government to go further in outlining how it will monitor and implement this ban, and commit to:

Ensuring the burden of proof is placed on Israeli authorities to provide verifiable certification that imported goods originated within the internationally recognised pre-1967 “green-line” borders, denying UK entry to any uncertified items originating from illegal West Bank settlements.
Drawing on the legal provisions set out in Schedule 1 of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act (SAMLA) 2018 to ensure the ban on services is comprehensive, and not just a symbolic gesture.
Introducing secondary legislation to amend the SAMLA, placing a legal duty of due diligence on UK banks and financial institutions to verify that none of their direct operations, supply chains or customers are financing the purchase, construction, or other service provision for illegal settlements.
Outlining that any violation of these bans would result in enforcement measures under the UK-Israel Trade and Partnership Agreement.
Imposing a comprehensive ban on all arms exports to Israel, including the sale of F-35 components.
Expanding sanctions on Ministers in the Israeli Government’s Security Cabinet encouraging settlement expansion, including Prime Minister Netanyahu himself.

A two-state solution will be fatally threatened if the expansion of these illegal settlements is halted and reversed. We believe the measures outlined above - helping to ensure the Government’s ban is properly enforced - are the right way to ensure the UK upholds our international commitments and can protect the viability of the two-state solution.

I can assure you I and my Liberal Democrat colleagues will always use our voices to stand up for international law and the rights of Palestinians in the pursuit of a two-state solution - the only political settlement which will deliver the security and dignity Israelis and Palestinians deserve.