Israel-Palestine war: UK foreign secretary vows to ban 'extremist' West Bank settlers
British Foreign Secretary David Cameron has announced a ban on individuals responsible for Israeli settler violence in the occupied West Bank from entering the UK.
The West Bank has seen a surge in Israeli settler and military violence against Palestinians since the start of the Gaza conflict on 7 October.
“Extremist settlers, by targeting and killing Palestinian civilians, are undermining security and stability for both Israelis and Palestinians,” Cameron said on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday.
“Israel must take stronger action to stop settler violence and hold the perpetrators accountable."
The move comes after the US announced earlier this month that it would impose visa restrictions on settlers “involved in undermining peace, security or stability in the West Bank”.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
Meanwhile, the EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, proposed sanctioning the settlers responsible for the increase in violence.
275 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since 7 October, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health’s latest figures, published on 29 November.
At least 11 Palestinians were also killed in an Israeli raid on Jenin on Wednesday night.
Palestinian Bedouin villages have also been attacked and depopulated by armed settlers.
Since taking on the role of foreign secretary, Cameron has reaffirmed the UK’s belief in Israel’s “right to self-defence” but said that the number of civilian casualties in Gaza is “too high”.
The ongoing Israeli war in Gaza started when a Hamas-led assault on Israel killed over 1,200 Israelis.
In response, Israel has relentlessly bombed the Palestinian enclave, killing over 18,000 Palestinians and destroying much of the strip’s civilian infrastructure.
Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.
