In a letter sent to the government on Monday, 137 Labour members of parliament called for concrete measures against Israeli settlements, arguing that continued expansion and settler violence required a stronger response from Britain.

“There is an urgent need for accountability and concrete consequences in response to Israel’s violations against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem,” the lawmakers wrote, describing a ban on settlement trade as a necessary next step.

The signatories represent more than a third of Labour’s 402 lawmakers in the 650-seat House of Commons, highlighting growing unease within the governing party over Britain’s policy toward Israel.

The intervention presents a challenge for Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has sought to balance Britain’s longstanding alliance with Israel and the United States against mounting domestic pressure to take firmer action over Israeli conduct in Palestinian territories.

The occupied West Bank has seen accelerated settlement expansion under Israel’s current coalition government, with several ministers advocating annexation of parts of the territory. Most countries regard Israeli settlements in the West Bank as illegal under international law, a position Israel disputes.

Violence involving Israeli settlers and Palestinian communities has also increased since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023.

Responding to the letter, a spokesperson for Britain’s Foreign Office did not directly address the demand for a trade ban but said the government had repeatedly condemned settler violence and the expansion of illegal settlements.

The spokesperson said Britain continued to call on Israeli authorities to prevent attacks by settler groups and address the destruction of Palestinian property.

Britain has already adopted a series of measures under Starmer’s government, including suspending some arms export licenses to Israel, pausing negotiations on a free trade agreement and imposing sanctions on Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.

London also joined several Western allies, including France and Canada, in recognizing a Palestinian state last year.

The debate has increasingly focused on the proposed E1 settlement project, a development east of Jerusalem that critics say would divide the West Bank and undermine prospects for a contiguous Palestinian state.

Britain has publicly opposed the E1 project and, together with international partners, urged businesses not to participate in construction tenders linked to the development.

The Guardian reported that the government is considering additional measures to discourage corporate involvement in the project, although officials declined to comment on potential future sanctions or restrictions.

The $24 million deal for Colt Carbine 5.56mm fully automatic rifles was officially notified to Congress by the State Department on March 6. The stated end user is the Israeli National Police.

A Controversial Deal

While the sale is relatively small compared to the billions of dollars in U.S. arms supplied to Israel, it has drawn significant attention due to previous concerns that the rifles could be used by extremist Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank. The Biden administration had initially delayed the deal, citing fears that some of the weapons might end up in the hands of settlers involved in attacks on Palestinians.

Under Biden, the U.S. had imposed sanctions on individuals and entities linked to settler violence in the West Bank. However, on his first day in office on January 20, Trump rescinded those sanctions through an executive order, reversing U.S. policy. Since then, his administration has approved multiple arms sales to Israel worth billions of dollars.

The March 6 notification to Congress stated that the U.S. had considered “political, military, economic, human rights, and arms control” factors in approving the sale. However, the State Department did not confirm whether any assurances had been sought from Israel regarding how the rifles would be used.

Deepening U.S.-Israel Ties

Israel has occupied the West Bank since the 1967 Middle East war, and the settlements it has built there are widely considered illegal under international law—though Israel disputes this, citing historical and biblical connections to the land.

Violence by settlers against Palestinians had already been rising before the Gaza war erupted, and it has intensified since the conflict began over a year ago.

Trump has maintained close ties with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, promising unwavering support for Israel in its war against Hamas in Gaza. His administration has proceeded with multiple arms sales to Israel, even as some Democratic lawmakers have urged for pauses to review their potential impact.

On Thursday, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly rejected an attempt to block $8.8 billion in arms sales to Israel due to human rights concerns. Senators voted 82-15 and 83-15 against two resolutions, introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders, which aimed to halt the sale of massive bombs and other offensive weapons.

Context of the Conflict

The rifle sale was initially put on hold after Democratic lawmakers demanded clarity on how Israel intended to use them. While congressional committees eventually cleared the deal, the Biden administration had kept it frozen.

The current phase of the long-running Israeli-Palestinian conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on Israeli communities, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli sources. In response, Israel has carried out a military campaign that, according to Gaza health authorities, has killed more than 50,000 Palestinians.

Israel’s National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir—a far-right member of Netanyahu’s government—oversees the country’s police force. In November 2023, The Times of Israel reported that his ministry had placed “a heavy emphasis on arming civilian security squads” in the wake of the October 7 attacks.

This latest arms deal reflects the Trump administration’s continued push to support Israel militarily, despite concerns from human rights advocates and opposition from some U.S. lawmakers.