UK Foreign Office Responds to Alarab In UK Letter on Israeli Settlements

Alarab In UK (AUK) has received an official response from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to a letter sent on 24 August 2026, calling for binding measures to prevent British economic and financial activities from supporting illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.

In its response, dated 20 October 2026, the Foreign Office reaffirmed that the UK government considers Israel’s continued occupation of Palestinian territories to be unlawful, in line with the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion issued in July 2024.

New Measures Targeting Israeli Settlements

The Foreign Office said the government intends to introduce a comprehensive sanctions regime that would include a ban on imports of goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements, restrictions on advertising or promoting land and property located within them, and measures targeting services and entities that support, facilitate or profit from settlement activities.

According to the response, the government intends to implement these measures within six to nine months, with the aim of preventing British economic activities from contributing to the expansion of settlements.

The department also referred to sanctions imposed by the UK on individuals and entities accused of being responsible for violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians, supporting such violence or inciting it. The response stated that a total of 38 individuals and entities were subject to these measures.

Alarab In UK’s Demands

In its letter to the Foreign Office, AUK called on the government to move beyond voluntary guidance and introduce binding restrictions, where necessary, on investments and financial and commercial transactions that support the settlements. These would include financing, insurance, procurement and commercial services.

The platform also called for sanctions to be expanded to cover individuals, companies and financial networks that fund or facilitate settlement expansion, and urged the government to ensure a clear distinction between Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories in government dealings and public investments.

The letter further urged the UK government to work with the United Nations and international partners to strengthen the monitoring and documentation of violations against Palestinians, and to consider mechanisms to protect civilians and Palestinian communities at risk of settler violence.

Free Trade Agreement Talks with Israel Suspended

In its response, the Foreign Office’s Parliamentary Correspondence Team referred to the decision to suspend negotiations on a free trade agreement with Israel, as well as cooperation under the bilateral 2030 Roadmap. The decision was taken against the backdrop of the Israeli government’s positions and its actions in Gaza and the West Bank.

The department also confirmed that the UK continues to support trade with Israel within the Green Line, as part of what the response described as efforts to support a two-state solution.

The response comes as Alarab In UK continues to scrutinise the British government’s position on Israeli settlements and call for its stated position on their illegality to be translated into practical measures that ensure British economic activities do not contribute to sustaining or expanding them.

However, the response did not provide a separate, detailed answer to all the demands set out in AUK’s letter, particularly those concerning an assessment of whether existing measures are sufficient to meet the UK’s international legal obligations.