A British student has urged the UK government to condemn violence in the West Bank following his detention and subsequent deportation from Israel. Finn Joughin, 22, a London School of Economics student, was arrested on Saturday in the Palestinian village of Umm al-Khair near Hebron, where he had been spending the summer teaching English to local children.
Joughin, who is the son of a GP and an aid worker, decided to engage in a tactic known as “protective presence” after hearing from Palestinians about a recent increase in attacks by Israeli settlers. This approach involves volunteers living alongside Palestinian communities to deter settler violence. The student described the daily harassment faced by villagers, which includes not only settler attacks but also frequent questioning and intimidation by Israeli police.
In an interview after his return to the UK, Joughin recounted an incident captured on video by both settlers and activists, showing him near a fence, attempting to protect it while a child pushed him. He said he had been advised not to act aggressively to avoid escalation or providing settlers grounds to contact authorities. However, he said he was suddenly confronted by an armed adult who pushed and grabbed him, placing him in a chokehold and twisting his arm behind his back. Joughin stated that he was then confined in a bomb shelter for approximately 30 minutes under threat of gunfire, describing the experience as a form of kidnapping.
Israeli police arrested Joughin on suspicion of assaulting a minor. The details of the alleged assault have not been publicly clarified. Following the incident, Israeli authorities deported him back to the UK.
Joughin called on the British government to issue a strong condemnation of settler violence and criticized what he termed "state complicity" in allowing such violence to continue. He emphasized the government's responsibility to protect British nationals abroad and expressed support for protective presence as a legitimate form of nonviolent resistance.
Separately, UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced plans for a "comprehensive reset" of British policy on Israel in the coming weeks, which is expected to include embargoes on goods and services linked to West Bank settlements considered illegal under international law.
In response to potential UK sanctions, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar warned that Israel possesses "tools" to respond if Britain imposes restrictions linked to the expansion of settlements near Jerusalem, known as the E1 project. Sa’ar stated in a Hebrew-language podcast that “if Britain acts against Israel, Israel will act against Britain,” signaling a firm stance against possible British measures.
The situation highlights ongoing tensions surrounding Israeli settlements in the West Bank and the international diplomatic response, with advocates for Palestinian rights raising concerns about settler violence and harsh Israeli enforcement tactics contradicting official positions.