The Palestinian Authority’s Embassy in London welcomed Tuesday’s announcement by British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband stating that the UK will ban all trade with West Bank settlements.
The embassy stated that the announcement “affirmed the illegality of Israel’s occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including east Jerusalem, in line with international law and the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion, and consequently adopting a set of measures, including a full ban on trade with Israeli settlements in Palestine that are illegal according to international law.”
Israel disputes the legality of the status quo in the West Bank, and counts east Jerusalem as full sovereign territory of the State of Israel as part of its capital city.
Today marks a turning point in UK–Palestine relations — from recognition to action, from condemnation to consequence. This is my message following the historic announcement by the Rt Hon Ed Miliband in the British Parliament earlier today. pic.twitter.com/OJRQZqkZim
— Husam Zomlot (@hzomlot) September 8, 2026
“This important action and policy demonstrate[s] that international law must be upheld and implemented without fear or favor, and that violations must have consequences,” the PA Embassy wrote.
“This decision gives practical effect to the international legal consensus, including the July 2024 Advisory Opinion of the ICJ, which affirmed the obligation of all states not to recognize as lawful, or assist in maintaining, the illegal situation arising from Israel’s occupation,” the embassy claimed.
The UK’s decision also “contributes to implementing UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which reaffirmed that Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, have no legal validity and constitute a violation of international law,” the embassy added.
PA’s UK Ambassador Zomlot praises Britain’s ‘leadership’
The PA’s Ambassador to the UK, Husam Zomlot, also issued a personal statement reacting to Miliband’s statement, praising the UK’s “leadership in translating recognition and international legal obligations into effective action to uphold the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and viability of the state of Palestine.”
“We welcome this decision as a turning point in the UK–Palestine relationship and commend Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband for their leadership in translating recognition and international legal obligations into effective action to uphold the… https://t.co/0Q2uSmTc0j
— Husam Zomlot (@hzomlot) September 8, 2026
The decision is a “turning point in the UK-Palestine relationship,” and comes as a “natural” follow-up to the UK’s recognition of a Palestinian state one year ago at the UN General Assembly in September 2025.
“It represents continuity of purpose, not an end in itself,” Zomlot said, referring to the UK’s 2025 decision.
“Recognition cannot be meaningful if the territory of the recognized state is simultaneously being taken from its people in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem,” he claimed.
“Protecting the Palestinian people from illegal occupation, annexation and apartheid, ending the ongoing genocide in Gaza, and holding to account those who have committed war crimes – these are essential for making that recognition real, meaningful, and enduring,” Zomlot claimed.
The accusations of Israel pursuing apartheid policies, or having committed genocide or war crimes during the Israel-Hamas War or other periods in the conflict, are heavily disputed by Jerusalem.
“The UK has a unique historic responsibility towards Palestine,” Zomlot said, hinting at the role the UK played during the British Mandate period between World War I and the establishment of an independent State of Israel in 1948.
“With today’s announcement, the UK has an opportunity to assume a leading role by bringing together partners across Europe, the Commonwealth, and the wider international community to end complicity in violations of international law. No state, company, or institution should contribute to, facilitate, or profit from illegal settlements or the annexation of occupied Palestinian land,” Zomlot stated
“We call on the UK Government to adopt a comprehensive set of measures to ensure that all sectors of the British state and economy are free from complicity in the illegal occupation and settlement enterprise,” he said.
PA ‘ready to work’ with UK gov’t on Israeli arms embargo, sanctions on settlement sponsorship, end to ‘illegal dealings’
“We stand ready to work with the UK Government and British authorities to ensure remaining legal obligations are met, including a full arms embargo, sanctions on agencies and institutions of the Israeli State that sponsor illegal settlements, and an end to illegal dealings in the OPT by the business and financial services sectors,” Zomlot added.
“These courageous steps by the leadership of the United Kingdom, grounded in international law, will contribute to advancing peace, security, and stability, preserving the two-state solution, and bring justice through accountability and the ending of Israel’s unlawful occupation,” he claimed.
“They will help pave the way for the independence of the State of Palestine on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and for the realization of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people,” he concluded.
