UK lawyers welcome UK sanctions and say what else is needed

JVL Introduction

While we welcomed Miliband’s sanctions statement there is more to do to make it effective. These legal experts make it clear that if Burnham’s government is to fulfil its aim to meet its legal obligations to comply with the ICJ rulings then there are additional essential steps.

Miliband’s deceleration that Britain now recognises that the occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem is in itself illegal requires the Government to exert itself to end this illegality and failure to do so would make it complicit in its own eyes. It is a pity that Israel’s annexation of the Golan is given insufficient attention and Israel’s activities there must also be sanctioned.

Middle East Eye’s coverage also notes that the letter calls for the “same logic to be applied to Israel as has been applied to Russia where sanctions include:  Russian banks, energy companies, shipping networks, exports, investment activity and financial services”

Furthermore the lawyers also remind the British government of the need to ensure that charities are not using funds to support settlements.

This letter is part of keeping up the pressure, welcoming what Francesca Albanese calls a  ‘seismic’ shift. We look forward to the government rigorously enforcing the measures Miliband has outlined and making a further statement about how it will comply fully with the ICJ rulings including an end to all transfers of arms to Israel.

This article was originally published by The Guardian on Tue 15 Sep 2026. Read the original here.