Stories

Thu, 01 Oct 2026

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 PM warned Rosebank oil field could breach West Bank sanctions

Campaigners and Green Party leader Zack Polanski raise concerns about Rosebank's ties to an Israeli firm.
The UK government is facing pressure over its decision on the Rosebank oil field, with campaigners warning that approving the project could contravene new sanctions on companies linked to Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Delek Group, an Israeli company which controls 20% stakeholder Ithaca Energy, was included in a UN database of firms allegedly providing services or utilities to support settlements. However, Delek claims it has been wrongly listed and is challenging its inclusion. The government is expected to make a decision on Rosebank soon, but environmental campaigners and the Green Party are urging them to clarify whether Delek will be caught by new sanctions announced last month. The UK's foreign secretary Ed Miliband said that companies blacklisted by the UN for operating in settlements should not receive financing from North Sea oil revenues. The controversy has implications for the UK's relationship with the US, with President Trump having previously pressured successive prime ministers to increase drilling in the North Sea. The decision on Rosebank could also have an impact on the government's wider energy policy and its commitment to reducing carbon emissions. Uplift, a campaign group which challenged the Rosebank project in court last year, has written to the Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh and Prime Minister Andy Burnham urging them to clarify whether Delek will be caught by new sanctions. The group argues that no money from North Sea oil profits should go to companies linked to settlements. A spokesperson for Ithaca Energy said that the company is a responsible employer and major contributor to the UK Treasury through tax payments, but has not commented on the UN listing or its links to Delek Group.