Miliband’s ‘brave’ settlement trade ban has come too late, say West Bank Palestinians

West Bank Palestinians are welcoming the UK government’s unprecedented ban on trade with the Israeli settlements - but say it is long overdue and doesn’t go far enough. On Tuesday, UK foreign secretary Ed Miliband confirmed a “new approach” in the UK’s relations with Israel, imposing a ban on goods coming out of Israeli settlements in the West Bank which Britain regards as illegal. Palestinians in the West Bank praised the “brave” government for a step in the right direction, as residents face growing violence and repression from Israeli settlers and authorities.

Israel has responded furiously to the announcement, shutting down the UK consulate in East Jerusalem, with president Isaac Herzog declaring it a “grave miscalculation”. The move is expected to prompt a harsh response from the Trump administration. Follow all the reaction to the ban in our live blog.

Tuesday’s announcement reflects a new shift in tone from the UK towards the Israeli government. Mr Miliband accused the Israeli government of turning a blind eye to the “ethnic cleansing” of Palestinians, as he declared the occupation as a whole unlawful, going beyond the previous position that only described the settlements themselves as illegal. It also illustrates a significant shift in policy from previous governments, who had largely limited action to sanctions on specific individuals and entities in the settlements.

The government confirmed it would ban all imports of goods from the settlements and the advertisement of settlement properties. Mr Miliband also said that any companies or individuals who “finance or facilitate” the expansion of the settlements will “face the full force of UK sanctions”. It's wrong since day one for UK businesses and investors to invest in these illegal settlements,” adds Mr Adra, whose documentary, produced alongside three other Israeli and Palestinian directors, depicts his complex but deep bond with Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham as they shine a light on the plight of West Bank Palestinians.

Settlers have been able to “kill Palestinians, to burn our villages, to steal our livestock and to destroy our lives” in part thanks to years of trade and investments that have “made the settlers strong”, he adds. Madees Khoury, a brewmaster at Taybeh Brewery, agrees the ban is “long overdue” and says that on its own, is unlikely to tangibly change the lives of Palestinians in the West Bank. I don't see anything changing for Palestinians.

We don't have any freedom of movement, whether it's within the West Bank or it's trying to export abroad.” Mr Adra called on the UK and other European countries to ramp up their action to target the Israeli government, not only the settlements. This is something that Mr Miliband explicitly ruled out on Tuesday, declaring the sanctions will only target the settlements and their expansion.