A British-Israeli rabbi whose wife and two daughters were killed by Palestinian militants in 2023 has criticised the UK government’s latest sanctions targeting Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Rabbi Leo Dee, who was born in Britain and now lives in the West Bank settlement of Efrat, accused the UK government of applying double standards in its approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Dee’s wife, Lucy, and daughters Maia and Rina were killed after gunmen opened fire on their vehicle as they travelled through the Jordan Valley.
In an open letter, Dee argued that the British government’s decision to target Israeli settlements amounted to unfairly singling out Jewish Israelis.
He questioned why Britain was taking action against Israeli settlement businesses while, in his view, failing to apply similar pressure to Palestinian institutions.
Dee also raised the issue of financial support previously provided to Palestinian prisoners and families of Palestinians killed while carrying out attacks.
The Palestinian Authority abolished its formal prisoner and “martyrs” payment programme in 2025 and introduced a needs-based welfare system. However, Israel and other critics have alleged that payments continue through alternative arrangements, while the Palestinian Authority disputes that accusation.
The controversy comes as Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband defended the UK’s decision to impose new restrictions on Israeli settlements.
Miliband told MPs that Britain needed to “call out” settlement activity before it became too late to preserve the possibility of a Palestinian state existing alongside Israel.
He said the prospect of a two-state solution was being damaged by developments on the ground.
The UK has announced a ban on imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Miliband also accused violent settlers of engaging in “ethnic cleansing” and alleged that the Israeli government was failing to stop them.
He has also called on the Palestinian Authority to accelerate reforms that he said would support efforts towards a two-state settlement.
The latest British measures have triggered a diplomatic response from Israel.
Israel announced four counter-measures against Britain, including the planned closure of the UK’s consulate in Jerusalem within 30 days.
Miliband has rejected concerns that the sanctions could fuel antisemitism against Jewish people in Britain, insisting that the government’s measures are directed at settlement policies rather than Jewish people.
The dispute highlights the increasingly difficult diplomatic relationship between Britain and Israel as international pressure continues over Israeli settlement activity and the future of the West Bank.
