British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband issued a harsh statement on Thursday targeting Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria. Miliband declared that the United Kingdom opposes construction in the E1 area and demanded that the Israeli government halt development, alongside any further expansion of Jewish towns in the region.
1+Miliband also leveled accusations directly against Jewish residents in Judea and Samaria, claiming they undermine and threaten “Palestinian” security. The British Foreign Secretary concluded by asserting that London would not remain idle and that retaliatory countermeasures—including targeted sanctions against those involved in the growth of Jewish communities—are imminent. In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar unequivocally rejected Miliband’s statements: “The Jewish people possess the fundamental right to live across all parts of the Land of Israel, just as Britons have the right to live in London and throughout the United Kingdom. More than a century ago, the Balfour Declaration officially recognized the historic right of the Jewish people to re-establish their national home in the Land of Israel—including in the very area in question.”
1+Sa’ar highlighted Britain’s own glaring double standard, noting that the UK continues to govern colonial territories thousands of miles from its shores, making it absurd for London to lecture the Jewish people on where they are permitted to live within their small, historic ancestral homeland: “The bond and legal right of the Jewish people to this land are the most extensively documented of any nation in human history.” Sa’ar added: “The British government’s systematic policy of singling out and blaming Israel while turning a blind eye to ‘Palestinian’ extremism has already fueled a massive surge of antisemitic hatred and violent attacks against the British Jewish community. Continuing down this path will only worsen the situation. The UK government’s decision to undermine relations between our nations is deeply regrettable. However, Israel will not be a passive victim of this policy.”