More than one-third of Labour lawmakers have called on the UK government to halt trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, increasing pressure on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to adopt a tougher stance on Israeli policies toward Palestinians.
A letter signed by 137 Labour MPs urged the government to impose "tangible consequences" for what it described as escalating violations against Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, arguing that ending trade with Israeli settlements should be the next major step.
The appeal highlights growing divisions within the governing Labour Party, as Starmer seeks to balance Britain's longstanding alliance with Israel and the United States against calls from within his party for stronger measures.
A spokesperson for the UK Foreign Office did not directly address the proposal but reiterated Britain's opposition to settlement expansion and settler violence, urging Israeli authorities to take action against those responsible for escalating tensions.
Since taking office, Starmer's government has suspended free trade negotiations with Israel, restricted certain arms export licenses, and imposed sanctions on Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. Britain also joined several allies last year in recognizing a Palestinian state.
The renewed pressure comes as settlement expansion and violence in the West Bank remain at the center of growing international scrutiny, with several European countries considering measures targeting goods produced in Israeli settlements.
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