UK PM Burnham joins allies in condemning Israel's West Bank settlement plan

Published Aug 21, 07:10 AM UTC

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham joined leaders of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, and Canada in a joint statement condemning Israel's plan to build 1,200 settlement homes in the E1 area of the occupied West Bank. The leaders called the plan 'unacceptable,' warning it undermines the two-state solution, violates international law, and exacerbates instability amid rising settler violence. UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband separately criticized the tender as an 'unacceptable and destructive act.' Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar rejected the statement, accusing the UK of ignoring Palestinian extremism and contributing to antisemitism. The UK formally recognized a Palestinian state in September 2025. Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Emily Thornberry urged the government to ban trade with Israel.