The British government has imposed sanctions on two organisations accused of perpetuating settler violence in the occupied West Bank, a move that signals a hardening of London’s stance on Israeli policy under the new Labour administration. The Treasury’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation announced on Monday that assets belonging to the Mount Hebron Fund and the Shalom El Adat Harabim non-profit would be frozen, with travel bans applied to named individuals linked to these groups.
The decision follows a pattern of escalating violence across the West Bank, where Israeli settlers have attacked Palestinian villages and farms with increasing frequency. Since the outbreak of war in Gaza in October 2023, the UN has recorded over 1,200 settler-related incidents, including arson, land seizures, and physical assaults. The Foreign Office described the sanctioned entities as key financial conduits for networks that “fuel instability and undermine peace prospects”.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy, speaking in the House of Commons, said the sanctions targeted “those who would use violence to displace communities and entrench occupation”. He added that the UK had a responsibility to act as a “force for stability” in the region, restating the government’s support for a two-state solution. The statement was notably direct. It omitted the usual diplomatic hedging seen under previous Conservative governments, which had shied away from punitive action against Israeli-linked groups.
The move has drawn a sharp rebuke from Israel’s embassy in London. A spokesperson argued that the UK was “pandering to extremist voices” and that settler violence was a “criminal matter” already dealt with by Israeli courts. They warned that the sanctions could damage bilateral relations. The UK government, however, maintains that Israeli legal mechanisms have proved insufficient to deter attacks.
The Labour administration’s stance on the Middle East conflict has been closely watched since its election victory in July. On the campaign trail, the party criticised the previous government’s “uncritical support” for Israel, particularly in the wake of the Gaza war. While Labour has stopped short of suspending arms export licences, the imposition of sanctions on settler networks is its most concrete foreign policy action to date and aligns with similar measures taken by the United States, Canada, and the European Union.
Human rights organisations have cautiously welcomed the announcement. Amnesty International UK’s head of policy, Alice Bacon, called it a “necessary step to uphold international law”, but urged the government to go further by imposing a full arms embargo on Israel. Others, including the UK Lawyers for Human Rights group, have questioned the narrow targeting of non-profits, noting that settlers involved in violence are often off-duty soldiers or reserve members of the Israeli Defence Forces.
The sanctions come at a delicate moment. The UK is seeking to position itself as a credible interlocutor in any future peace negotiations, while also maintaining its historic security relationship with Israel. The Treasury has yet to confirm the exact value of assets frozen, but analysts estimate the two organisations could hold sums in the low millions.
The Mount Hebron Fund, based in the settlement of Mitzpe Yair, has long financed outposts and infrastructure projects across the southern West Bank. The Shalom El Adat Harabim group, a fundraising vehicle for settler causes, has been linked to the Hilltop Youth movement, a radical faction known for establishing illegal outposts and clashing with Palestinian farmers.
Downing Street insisted the sanctions were not a precursor to a wider diplomatic overhaul, but a targeted response to a specific pattern of lawlessness. A spokesperson said the UK would continue to monitor the situation and review further measures if violence persists.
The conflict in Gaza, now in its eleventh month, continues to dominate regional dynamics. The settler violence in the West Bank, while separate, is increasingly viewed by Western capitals as a barrier to any post-war political settlement. The UK’s action this week is likely to increase pressure on the Netanyahu government to rein in extremist elements among its own population, though whether this leads to substantive change remains uncertain.
