Several high-profile UK rabbis have shown support for Andy Burnham’s sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank, warning that settler violence should not be tolerated.
On Tuesday, foreign secretary Ed Miliband announced a trade ban on goods imported from the Occupied Palestine Territories, and said that the removal of Palestinian families from their homes amounted to “ethnic cleansing”.
The UK’s chief rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, condemned the move and warned it could embolden people who “use hatred as a weapon against Jews”.
However, other rabbis, particularly from the progressive wing of the community, have backed Mr Miliband’s plans and warned others against ignoring settler violence.
Jonathan Wittenberg, a senior rabbi of Masorti Judaism, told The Guardian: “What is taking place today in the West Bank is a Chillul HaShem, a violation of God’s name of the worst order. We cannot stay silent.
“This is terrible for Palestinian people who want to get on with their lives in peace. It is terrible for Israel,” he said.
Mr Wittenberg added: “We must speak out. We must do so out of deep concern for what is human and just, and for the sake of Israel and Judaism. We cannot turn away.”
He had travelled to the West Bank in Mr Miliband and ad visited the Palestinian village of Umm al Khair and witnessed the violence, before adding: “The time is for action.”
A snap YouGov survey on Wednesday revealed that 52 per cent of respondents supported the trade restrictions, while just 17 per cent expressed opposition.
The prime minister defended the sanctions in the Commons during PMQs on Wednesday.
“In this difficult and dangerous world, Britain has to stand for something,” Mr Burnham said. “Britain has to show leadership, Britain has to stand for fairness against injustice.”
Jeremy Gordon, the rabbi of New London Synagogue, who came out in favour of Mr Miliband’s sanctions, said: “It is wrong to argue for silence, inaction or ‘the use of carrots’ – appeasement – before the settler movement and those who support it.
“The playbook of these settlers is predicated on the notion that they will be appeased or ignored, and that well-meaning Jews the world over overlook their illegal and criminal actions.”
Lev Taylor, the rabbi of Kingston Liberal Synagogue in London, also said the sanctions were a sign that the “government is moving in the right direction”.
The move from the UK government comes amid heightening international backlash surrounding Israel’s controversial plans for further development in the E1 corridor.
Construction in E1 severs the northern and southern West Bank from East Jerusalem, rendering a contiguous two-state solution geographically impossible.
Under international law, all Israeli settlements in the occupied territories are considered illegal — a stance that was reaffirmed by the International Court of Justice in July 2024.
While Mr Miliband’s announcement has triggered a diplomatic row with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, 11 other countries including Canada and France have joined suit and also issued sanctions.
While Donald Trump questioned the timing of the UK’s ban, he appeared reticent to comment further, saying he wanted to first speak to Israel to “find out their thinking”.
Asked about the trade ban as he headed to a Republican convention in Texas, Mr Trump said: “Well, I’ve just seen it and I’ll be speaking to Israel. I’ll be speaking to them and I’ll find out what’s their thinking.
“I understand exactly what’s going on, but I want to find out why all of a sudden does that happen?”
However, it has been reported that Mr Trump did not argue against the imposition of sanctions when informed about them in a phone call with Mr Burnham on Monday.
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