Miliband rejects chief rabbi's claim UK sanctions on settlements endanger British Jews

September 9, 2026 at 04:54 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband rejected Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis's claim that UK sanctions on Israeli settlements in the West Bank put British Jews at greater risk. Miliband, a British Jew, said he disagreed with Mirvis, who called the move a 'truly dark day'. The dispute comes as the Community Security Trust recorded 1,926 antisemitic incidents in the UK in the first half of 2026, up 21% year-on-year.

Key Facts

The Community Security Trust recorded 1,926 antisemitic incidents in the UK in the first six months of 2026, a 21% increase on the same period in 2025.
Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis described the UK sanctions as a 'truly dark day' that would 'succeed only in bolstering the very extremism they seek to target'.
The Jewish Leadership Council warned the sanctions move 'risks becoming a de facto boycott of Israel' and accused Miliband of 'yielding to pressure from the most extreme elements of British society'.
Na'amod, a movement of UK Jews seeking to end Israel's occupation, welcomed the decision and rejected the contention that the measures would contribute to antisemitism.

Miliband's Rejection

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband rejected Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis's claim that British Jews are at greater risk after the UK announced sanctions on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Miliband, speaking as a 'proud British Jew', said he disagreed with Mirvis, who had called the move a 'truly dark day'. Miliband told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that anyone holding British Jews or Jews worldwide responsible for Israeli government actions is engaging in antisemitism 'pure and simple'. He added: 'We all need to do more to tackle antisemitism, but I believe we can do that and stand up for British values.'

Community Reactions

The Jewish Leadership Council warned the sanctions move 'risks becoming a de facto boycott of Israel' and accused Miliband of 'yielding to pressure from the most extreme elements of British society'. The Board of Deputies of British Jews described a 'deep sense of anguish' at the situation. Na'amod, a movement of UK Jews seeking to end Israel's occupation, welcomed the decision, saying it had waited years for the British government to take action. Yachad, a British Jewish organisation supporting a resolution to the conflict, said many British Jews supported the UK taking 'robust action against the occupation'.

Antisemitism Context

The sanctions on trade with illegal settlements in the West Bank come against a backdrop of rising antisemitic incidents across the UK. The Community Security Trust recorded 1,926 incidents of anti-Jewish hate across the UK in the first six months of 2026, a 21% increase on the same period in 2025. Chief Rabbi Mirvis called the government's announcement 'little more than political flag bearing for mendacious anti-Israel rhetoric'. Sir Ephraim said: 'Gesture politics of this kind feeds into an increasingly hostile discourse about Israel, and the cumulative effect of such punitive policies is to further embolden those, at home and abroad, who use hatred as a weapon against Jews.'