Britain threatens Israel with new sanctions over 1,234-home Jerusalem-area project

Britain is threatening new sanctions against Israel after Jerusalem issued a tender for 1,234 homes in the E1 area between Jerusalem and Ma’ale Adumim, escalating tensions with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband called the construction “unacceptable and destructive,” demanded Israel immediately withdraw the tender and summoned Israel’s chargé d’affaires. London argues E1 would undermine the territorial viability of a future Palestinian state.

Miliband warned Britain “will not stand back,” promising a broader package of measures in the coming weeks targeting Israeli policies and those involved in settlement expansion — another sign of the Burnham government’s increasingly confrontational approach toward Jerusalem.