UK to Announce Trade Restrictions on Israeli Settlements Amid U.S. Pushback

<p>The United Kingdom is expected to announce restrictions targeting trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank on September 8, 2026, a move that has already drawn strong pushback from U.S. and Israeli officials. </p><p>According to The Times, a U.S. State Department official stated that Washington is "tracking the plans closely." </p><p>The measures are anticipated to include an embargo on goods and some services involving West Bank settlements, marking an escalation in London’s pressure on Israel under new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who has adopted a firmer stance on the conflict, as reported by various sources. </p><p>The announcement is expected to follow a phone call between Burnham and President Donald Trump. </p><p>A No. 10 Downing Street readout of the call indicated that the two leaders discussed the Middle East, with Burnham emphasizing the importance of a two-state solution that envisions an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. </p><p>"On the Middle East, the Prime Minister set out the UK’s commitment to working towards peace and security in the region, stressing the importance of the Two-State Solution," the spokesperson said. </p><p>The readout did not mention the planned sanctions. However, Bloomberg reported that the timing of the call suggested Burnham may have briefed Trump on the measures targeting goods and services linked to Israeli settlements in the West Bank. </p><p>The move could create a point of friction between Burnham and Washington, as the Trump administration has strongly supported Israel. </p><p>The new measures, widely referred to as sanctions, are expected to be formally unveiled by Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, who has pledged a "comprehensive reset" of Britain’s policy toward Israeli settlements in the West Bank. </p><p>Miliband indicated last week that measures were forthcoming in response to Israeli settlement expansion, including the E1 project east of Jerusalem, according to The National. </p><p>He described E1 as a longstanding "red line" and stated that Britain would take action to protect the prospect of a two-state solution. </p><p>The planned sanction announcement has already faced criticism in Israel and the United States. </p><p>Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for the expulsion of the British ambassador in a post on X. </p><p>"We will not be a doormat for an antisemitic government in a country occupied by radical Islam that is trying to escape economic and social collapse by attacking Jews and the State of Israel," Smotrich wrote. "The British Mandate in Israel is over." </p><p>National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also condemned the planned restrictions, suggesting that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should retaliate by recognizing Argentine sovereignty over the Falkland Islands and imposing sanctions on Britain. </p><p>Ben-Gvir accused Britain of having "violently" taken the disputed islands, known in Argentina as the Malvinas, as reported by the Times of Israel. </p><p>In the United States, Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., warned in a post on X that the planned measures could implicate Florida’s anti-boycott law and potentially prevent some affected British companies from doing business with state and local governments. </p><p>Meanwhile, Burnham has joined leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and other countries in condemning Israel’s E1 settlement expansion, arguing that the project threatens the viability of a future Palestinian state.</p>