Ministers pressed on Rosebank link to planned settlement sanctions

Campaigners have asked Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband whether the government’s proposed sanctions on businesses linked to Israeli settlements could apply to Delek Group, a major shareholder in a company developing the Rosebank oil field. The BBC reported the request after seeing a letter from Stop Rosebank and Greenpeace, prepared with help from Uplift. [1]

Delek owns about half of Ithaca Energy, which holds a 20% interest in Rosebank, off Shetland. Adura operates the field and holds the remaining 80%. Green Party leader Zack Polanski has separately asked Miliband for clarity on Ithaca and raised concerns about whether UK oil and gas revenue could help finance settlements. [1] [2] [7] [8]

In September, Miliband announced plans to ban imports from settlements and introduce powers to sanction companies that support, facilitate or profit from settlement activity. He said the legislation would be in place within six to nine months. The government separately sanctioned five individuals under existing powers. [3] [4]

A 2025 UN human rights database lists Delek Group in connection with settlement-related services and the business use of natural resources. Its assessment covers alleged activity between August 2019 and April 2025; the UN says inclusion is not a legal judgment. Delek told The Telegraph that it no longer had any involvement in settlements, disputed the listing and intended to seek removal. Ithaca told the BBC it was committed to strong corporate governance and emphasised its North Sea investment. The Foreign Office declined to comment to the BBC. [5] [2] [1]