Miliband accuses settlers of ethnic cleansing as UK imposes sweeping sanctions

On Tuesday, British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced an import ban on goods from West Bank settlements and sanctions against individuals and businesses supporting settlement expansion. Miliband stated that the UK government now considers Israel's occupation of the West Bank unlawful, aligning with a 2024 International Court of Justice ruling. He accused Israeli settlers of "ethnic cleansing" and emphasized that the measures aim to "salvage the only cause for peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians: the two-state solution." The sanctions, which include an extension of the global human rights regime and a cessation of arms export licenses, were criticized by Jewish groups, UK Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, and the US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, who called the action "irrational" and discriminatory.