Updated

Britain is preparing new measures targeting illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, reflecting a marked shift in the UK's rhetoric toward Israel as Palestinians continue to suffer violence linked to settlement expansion. The move signals growing diplomatic distance between London and Jerusalem over the trajectory of the conflict. Analysis of Israel's E1 settlement plan warns that its implementation risks splitting the West Bank into two disconnected halves, severing the northern and southern Palestinian population centers around Jerusalem. Critics argue the plan would entrench Israeli control and make a viable, contiguous Palestinian state practically impossible, intensifying international pressure including the UK's toughening stance.