UK sanctions on Israeli settlements in West Bank welcomed

The President, the Revd Mark Slaney, writes on the UK Government's plans for sanctions on Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

"We warmly welcome the UK Government's commitment to ban the import of goods originating from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. This policy rightly recognises that Israeli settlements in Palestine are illegal under international law. These settlements have been built on land that has belonged to Palestinian families and communities for generations, resulting in the displacement of people from their homes, the loss of livelihoods, restrictions on freedom of movement, and the erosion of security and hope for the future. The continued expansion of settlements is not only a violation of international law but a profound injustice that inflicts daily hardship on Palestinian communities and undermines the prospects for a just and lasting peace.

"The Government has also affirmed that its official position is that Israel's occupation of Palestine is unlawful. We welcome this clear recognition that respect for international law must be the foundation of any meaningful path towards peace and security for all who live in the Holy Land.

"Last September, we welcomed the UK Government's announcement of its intention to recognise the State of Palestine. Today's announcement represents a further step towards holding the Israeli Government to account for its continued unlawful occupation of Palestine, and demonstrates a commitment to ensuring that UK policy is consistent with international law and the pursuit of justice.

"As a member of the Just Peace Coalition, the Methodist Church in Britain supports the Time to Act Campaign, which has called not only for a ban on settlement goods but also for additional measures to uphold international law and protect human rights. These measures include suspending all arms sales to Israel until it complies with international law, imposing sanctions on Israeli ministers and political leaders who are inciting or are responsible for serious human rights violations against Palestinians, and cooperating fully with the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court to ensure accountability for all parties.

"To uphold the God-given dignity of every human being, we encourage the UK Government to continue taking principled action to ensure that its policies are consistent with international law. Such action is essential to advancing a just and lasting peace, founded on equality, human dignity, security, and self-determination for Palestinians and Israelis alike. We pray and work for the day when all people of the Holy Land can live together in freedom, safety, and mutual respect."

Partner charity All We Can have also released the following statement.

"We welcome the UK Government’s announcement of a ban on trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, recognising that all such settlements are illegal under international law. This is an important and overdue step, and it reflects one of the core calls of the Just Peace Coalition’s Time to Act campaign: that the UK must not allow trade, services, investment or financial relationships to sustain illegal settlements, dispossession, and the denial of Palestinian rights.

"However, this must be the beginning, not the end, of the UK’s response. It requires the Government to act consistently across all areas of policy: suspending arms sales to Israel until it complies with international law; ending UK trade and investment links with illegal settlements; reviewing the UK–Israel Trade and Partnership Agreement until the occupation is ended; imposing targeted and meaningful sanctions on those responsible for illegal settlement expansion and violence; and supporting accountability for war crimes and other serious violations."