British Foreign Minister Ed Miliband has announced a ban on goods imported from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, saying that further sanctions will be imposed on individuals and institutions involved in the expansion of settlements and violence against Palestinians.

Ed Miliband said some settlers were involved in ‘ethnic cleansing’ of Palestinians while the Israeli government turned a blind eye to the situation, saying a two-state solution was the only viable path to a secure and sustainable future for both Israel and Palestine.

In response to the British announcement, Israel has announced four retaliatory measures: closing the British consulate in Jerusalem, ending Britain’s participation in the US-led liaison mission to Gaza and banning the entry of 12 British citizens into Israel.

Among those facing the ban are former Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn, MP Naz Shah, Zahra Sultana and human rights lawyer Fahad Ansari.

According to analysts, the issue of Palestine is gaining more attention at the global level and many countries, including Britain, France, Canada, are supporting strict measures to stop the expansion of Israeli settlements and protect the two-state solution.