Burnham's national security chief 'explicitly warned PM and Ed Miliband against Israel West Bank sanctions before crunch elections'… but was ignored

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Published: 05:18 EDT, 17 September 2026 | Updated: 05:18 EDT, 17 September 2026 Andy Burnham and Ed Miliband ignored advice from Britain's national security adviser to delay bringing in controversial sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank, it was reported today. Jonathan Powell is said to have joined others including the UK ambassador in Tel Aviv in saying action over the occupation of Palestinian land should be held back until after elections in Israel.The ministers were warned that going too early could bolster PM Benjamin Netanyahu, a strong supporter of settlement expansion, who is in danger of losing power on October 27.But they went ahead anyway, sparking a major row with Netanyahu's hard right nationalist government that drove already poor relations with a key intelligence ally to a new low.Two of his ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, were personally sanctioned in June 2025, over the pair's 'repeated incitement of violence against Palestinian civilians'. A source told the Spectator: 'Ed wants to get rid of Netanyahu and the Smotrich/Ben-Gvir lot.'He was explicitly told that would be less likely if he did this.' Jonathan Powell is said to have joined others including the UK ambassador in Tel Aviv that sanctions should be held back until after elections in Israel The ministers were warned that going too early could bolster PM Benjamin Netanyahu, a strong supporter of settlement expansion, who is in danger of losing power on October 27The Foreign Office has been approached to comment.Yesterday Mr Miliband admitted he is not 'definite' the sanctions on illegal Israeli West Bank settlements will work.The Foreign Secretary said the British Government was trying to 'cut off the supply lines of British finance … (and) construction' to help stop illegal settlement expansion.Mr Miliband also said he felt 'a sense of frustration' that Britain cannot do more on Gaza, as he said Netanyahu is making Israel 'less secure' with his policies on Palestine.The Foreign Secretary last week introduced a ban on imports from illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and sanctions on individuals and firms providing services to settlers.Mr Miliband made the announcement in the Commons after a tender for the new E1 settlement area was published. He told MPs it would render the two-state solution 'unviable' by 'cutting through the heart of Palestine'.However, speaking to former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell and former Conservative minister Rory Stewart on the Rest is Politics podcast, Mr Miliband said he was not certain the action – taken jointly with France and Canada – would work.He said: 'Can we have an impact on the settlement expansion? We believe we can with the sanctions regime, because what we're trying to do is to cut off what you might call the supply lines of British finance, British construction, and so on to help settlement expansion.'Will it definitely succeed? I can't say it'll definitely succeed. Does it have a chance of succeeding, particularly with other international partners acting? Maybe it does. That's the whole intention behind it.'He also acknowledged the impact of attacks by the Israeli armed forces on Palestinians since Hamas' terror attack on Israel on October 7 2023. The attack by Hamas killed more than 1,200 Israelis.Since then more than 70,000 Palestinians have been reportedly killed in attacks by the Israeli Defence Force, including by drones.