Miliband clashes with Israel over controversial West Bank settlement

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband and the Israeli government began a war of words over a controversial settlement project in the occupied West Bank.

Mr Miliband summoned Israel's charge d'affaires - the country's top diplomat in the UK - on Wednesday to set out the UK's "profound objection" to Israel publishing a tender for the construction of about 1,200 homes, as part of the E1 programme of "expansion".

He called it an "unacceptable and destructive act" and said the UK would not "stand back and accept the destruction of the two-state solution", as he demanded "an immediate reversal".

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The foreign secretary said the UK had been clear, both publicly and privately, about its opposition to the project, which he said "cut across the heart of Palestine and risks separating the West Bank from East Jerusalem".

This sparked a fiery statement from Israeli foreign minister, Gideon Sa'ar, who said he rejected "outright the statement of the UK foreign secretary and the patronising tone of his words".

He said the right of Jewish people to live in the area in question was recognised over a century ago through the Balfour Declaration and likened their right to live in the disputed territory to British people's right to live in London.

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"The UK government's systematic policy of blaming only Israel while ignoring Palestinian extremism has already contributed to a massive wave of antisemitic hatred and attacks against the British Jewish community," he said.

"The UK government's decision to damage the relationship between our countries is deeply unfortunate. But Israel will not be a passive victim of this policy.

"Israel will defend its rights, its interests and its people."

Mr Miliband added that the UK will set out a "comprehensive set of measures" in the coming weeks in response to Israeli government policies to protect the viability of the Palestinian state, which the Starmer government formally recognised last September.

Plans to build on the E1 area have been mooted for decades and have long been internationally condemned, with settlements deemed illegal under international law.

While successive Israeli governments have held off due to international pressure, Benjamin Netanyahu's government gave the green light for construction a year ago to "erase" the idea of a Palestinian state.

The total number of housing units approved by the Israeli government last August sits at 3,401, with a tender put out for the first 1,234 on Tuesday.

(c) Sky News 2026: Miliband clashes with Israel over controversial West Bank settlement