In its statement to the UN Security Council, the UK government said repeated commitments during the UN’s High-Level Week had reinforced the case for a two-state solution, which it described as the only credible route to lasting peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians. The statement was framed as a warning that diplomacy is being overtaken by developments on the ground. In practical terms, the speech treated the two-state formula as a current policy benchmark, not a distant aspiration. The UK tied its viability to settlement growth, access restrictions, the condition of Palestinian institutions and the reach of humanitarian aid.
The government repeated the Prime Minister’s condemnation of Hamas for the 7 October 2023 terrorist attack on Israel and said the UK continued to stand with Israel against ongoing threats, including from Iran. At the same time, the statement drew a clear distinction between Israel’s security needs and the conduct of the Israeli government in the West Bank and Gaza. That distinction matters because it places legal compliance and civilian protection alongside security policy, rather than after it. The UK position, as set out at the Council, is that support for Israel’s defence does not remove scrutiny of settlement activity, military conduct or restrictions affecting Palestinian civilians.
On the West Bank, the statement said settlement expansion continued at pace and was in breach of international law as well as UN Security Council Resolution 2334. It identified the E1 settlement project as approaching a point of no return, warning that even a temporary delay to the bidding deadline would not remove the wider risk. The UK’s concern is that E1 would sever East Jerusalem from the West Bank and further weaken the territorial basis of a future Palestinian state. Its position was that the project should not proceed. The statement also pointed to a rise in settler violence and said accountability was being undermined when Israeli soldiers accused of violent crimes were pardoned or not prosecuted.
The most consequential policy signal came in the UK’s account of action with international partners. The government said it intended to legislate to ban the import of goods from illegal settlements and to introduce sanctions on those who finance, support or facilitate them, while restating its view that the occupation of Palestinian land is unlawful. If enacted, that approach would move UK policy beyond diplomatic objection and into trade and financial restriction. For businesses, charities and financial institutions with exposure to the region, the statement points to a tighter compliance position around settlement-linked activity.
The statement also linked the two-state agenda to the capacity of Palestinian institutions. The UK said it continued to back the Palestinian Authority’s reform agenda and welcomed commitments to hold elections, arguing that credible, transparent and reformed public bodies remain necessary for any future Palestinian state. On the West Bank economy, the government welcomed Israel’s extension of correspondent banking relationships but said this was only a partial step. It called for the release of clearance revenues to the Palestinian Authority, more predictable banking channels, and fewer movement and access restrictions so that trade, employment and basic economic activity can function.
On Gaza, the UK restated support for implementation of Resolution 2803 and the 20-Point Peace Plan, while repeating that Hamas must decommission its weapons, dismantle its terrorist infrastructure and relinquish control of the territory. That placed governance and security reform alongside the humanitarian case being made by the UK and its partners. The government said it had pledged $117 million in humanitarian and early recovery assistance this year, but stressed that funding is not enough if aid cannot physically reach civilians. With winter approaching, the message was that access, not pledges alone, is now the decisive issue.
The Foreign Secretary’s recent work with Jordan and Qatar was presented as part of a wider effort to turn diplomatic agreement into operational change. According to the statement, the three countries brought partners together behind a Call to Action on humanitarian access and healthcare in Gaza, with the next task being tangible improvement on the ground. The UK described the moment as a critical juncture and urged the Security Council to protect the two-state solution, bolster stability in the West Bank and help end suffering in Gaza. Its closing demand was direct: Israel should lift all restrictions on humanitarian aid, stop the killing in Gaza and withdraw. Taken together, the statement amounted to a firmer UK attempt to defend the political basis of two states through sanctions policy, institutional support and pressure for humanitarian access.