The United Kingdom has awarded £10.7 million ($14.4 million) in new public contracts to companies that have ties to illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, a recent investigation by Al Jazeera has revealed. The contracts were announced after the government introduced new powers on September 8 to sanction firms profiting from settlement activity, a move that was meant to enforce international law and the UK’s own sanctions regime.
Al Jazeera’s analysis, based on procurement records, company filings and data supplied by Tussell, a British public‑sector market‑intelligence firm, shows that several businesses named by the United Nations for their involvement in settlement construction have secured contracts across the UK public sector. The investigation also identified subsidiaries and parent companies that are ultimately controlled by these listed firms.
Neve Gordon, a professor of law at Queen Mary University of London, told Al Jazeera that “any UK company that is involved in the occupation is likely to be in direct breach of the sanctions regime Ed Miliband is putting in place.” She added that these companies “appear to be in breach of their legal obligations under international humanitarian law.”
On September 8, Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband addressed the House of Commons, stating that the government would now “take action against specific companies and individuals who provide services such as construction, infrastructure, financing or real estate for settlement expansion.” He warned that those who finance or facilitate illegal settlements would face the full force of UK sanctions, calling settlements “illegal.”
Despite the announcement, UK public bodies have since published details of an additional 18 contracts awarded to firms linked to the West Bank settlements. The new contracts bring the total value of deals awarded to such companies to more than £2.1 billion ($2.85 billion), according to a prior Al Jazeera investigation in August.
Former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn criticized the government’s actions, saying, “Britain cannot credibly claim that it is imposing sanctions on Israeli settlements while letting contracts continue through the back door. The fact that public money is still going to firms that could be targeted under the government’s own sanctions regime … is outrageous and frankly insulting to the public.”
Al Jazeera sought comment from the Cabinet Office but received no response. The Cabinet Office had previously explained that individual public authorities decide on suppliers on a case‑by‑case basis for each contract they award, and that public procurement should not be used to boycott suppliers linked to other countries unless formal British sanctions, embargoes or restrictions are in place.
The findings raise serious questions about the consistency of the UK’s foreign‑policy commitments and its enforcement of international law. While the government has pledged to punish companies profiting from settlement activity, the continued awarding of public contracts to firms with settlement ties suggests a gap between policy and practice. The investigation underscores the need for transparent procurement processes and strict adherence to sanctions to uphold the UK’s stated principles of justice and human rights.
Source: Al Jazeera
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Editorial note: This is an original news report prepared from the attributed source material with AI assistance. It is not a reproduction or translation of the original article.
