UK government bans goods from Israeli settlements and accuses settlers of 'ethnic cleansing'

The United Kingdom has banned trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, accusing "settler terrorists" of carrying out "ethnic cleansing" of Palestinians. Britain's Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband stated that the move is aimed at preventing the expansion of settlements from making a Palestinian state impossible. Israel has responded angrily, threatening to close the British consulate in Jerusalem and expel UK representatives from a joint military center monitoring the Gaza ceasefire.

British lawmakers and citizens involved in antisemitic and anti-Israel activity have also been barred from entering Israel. The economic impact of the ban is likely to be limited, as the settlements produce only a small amount of agricultural exports. However, the move is seen by some as a symbolic expression of displeasure with Israel by Britain's closest allies and highlights the growing isolation of the Israeli government following the Gaza war.