Earlier this week, the UK, Canada, and several European countries announced a ban on importing goods from illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Now, Israel has announced it will close a UK consulate.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia would not join this ban, but will impose further restrictions to “deter illegal settlements”.
Here’s the latest.
Background
Australia recognised the state of Palestine in 2025, which includes both Gaza and the West Bank.
In 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) found Israeli settlements in the West Bank to be unlawful.
In June, foreign ministers from countries including Australia and the UK released a statement on their collective efforts to sanction “extremist violent settlers”.
A UN dataset tracking civilian violence in the West Bank shows Israeli settlers have killed 37 Palestinians since October 2023, while Palestinians have killed 20 Israelis in that time.
Sanctions
On Tuesday (local time) UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced the country would ban goods imported from illegal Israeli settlements.
Miliband also said advertising illegal settlements would be banned, following “an expo advertising illegal settlement land” in the UK earlier this year.
Import restrictions have also been introduced or are being considered by Canada, Ireland, Finland, Spain, France, Denmark, Iceland, Poland, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden.
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“I do not believe that the British people want us supporting the occupation by accepting products from settlements in our shops and supermarkets.”
UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband in UK Parliament on Tuesday (local time).
Response
Responding to the sanctions, Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced the closure of the British Consulate in East Jerusalem.
The UK government considers this part of the city to be illegally occupied by Israel.
The UK embassy in Tel Aviv remains open.
Israel also announced the banning of 12 UK public figures and representatives from entering Israel, including former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Sa’ar called the UK’s move “outrageous lies” by a “hostile Labour government”.
Australia
On Tuesday, Labor MP Ed Husic encouraged Australia to join what he called a “seismic move”.
Husic said Australia “can’t say we’re for the state of Palestine... and ignore the fact that illegal settlements are undermining the ability for a state of Palestine to emerge.”
Foreign Minister Penny Wong told the Senate on Tuesday there will be no blanket ban on imports.
However, Wong said Australia will take “further targeted measures... to deter illegal settlements and settler violence.”
