Where is Israel's proposed West Bank settlement the UK opposes?

What Happened

On Tuesday, UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced sanctions on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including a ban on importing goods from settlements, to "deter settlement expansion" and "prevent the development of E1". Israel has opened tenders for the construction of about 1,200 settlement homes at the proposed E1 site, which overlooks the existing settlement of Ma'ale Adumim. Miliband said "ethnic cleansing" was being carried out by "settler terrorists" and accused the Israeli government of turning a "blind eye". Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar responded that Israel will close the British consulate in Jerusalem and called the UK government "hostile".

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The UK move targets the E1 area, where construction is considered highly sensitive because it would connect Ma'ale Adumim to Jerusalem and could bisect the West Bank, undermining the territorial contiguity of a future Palestinian state. The sanctions signal a hardening of UK policy toward Israeli settlement expansion and have triggered a diplomatic escalation, with Israel threatening to close the British consulate in Jerusalem, reflecting broader international friction over West Bank settlements and accusations of settler violence.

Watch For

Monitor whether the UK publishes a formal sanctions list or implementation dates for the import ban, whether Israel advances the E1 tenders or begins construction of the 1,200 homes, and whether the threatened closure of the British consulate in Jerusalem is carried out or additional retaliatory measures follow.