UK Policy Reset on Israel: BDS Co-Founder Calls for Full Trade Ban

He described existing measures targeting individual settler groups as a “smoke and mirrors cop-out” that fails to meet the UK’s legal obligations under international law.

The Guardian

Barghouti cited two International Court of Justice (ICJ) opinions. The July 2024 ruling declared Israel’s occupation of Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem illegal and a breach of racial segregation and apartheid prohibitions. A later ICJ statement in January 2024 identified a plausible risk of genocide, which, under the Genocide Convention, triggers third-state responsibilities to prevent such crimes. Barghouti argued that preventing genocide requires ending all forms of complicity, including trade and financial support.

The Guardian

British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced a “comprehensive reset” of the UK’s Israel policy, saying the government is examining ways to stop British companies from financing, constructing, or advertising new settlements. He noted that tenders for the E1 settlement project—planned to deliver 3,400 homes—are due by October 27, just before the Israeli elections. Miliband has labeled the E1 plan “unacceptable and destructive,” warning it could undermine a two-state solution.

The Guardian

The Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council warned that a UK ban on settlement trade could fuel antisemitism.

The Guardian

Barghouti maintains that a full embargo would hold states, corporations, and institutions accountable for alleged complicity in genocide, rather than relying on limited sanctions. The UK’s forthcoming policy review will determine whether it adopts the broader measures advocated by BDS or proceeds with more targeted actions. The outcome will shape the UK’s legal and ethical stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the months leading up to the Israeli elections.

The Guardian