The government of the United Kingdom has decided to boycott Israeli diamond and real estate mogul Lev Leviev over his companies’ construction of Israeli settlements on Palestinian land in the Occupied West Bank. The decision followed a coordinated advocacy campaign by human rights advocates, including Adalah-NY, in New York, the UK, Palestine and Israel demanding that the UK government end plans to rent the new UK Embassy in Tel Aviv from Leviev’s company Africa-Israel.

The UK Foreign Office has dropped plans to move the British embassy in Tel Aviv into a skyscraper because of concerns over the building owners. A spokeswoman said it was not satisfied with the company's involvement in settlement activity in the West Bank - which contravenes international law.

The British Foreign Office has confirmed that it has pulled out of talks to move the British Embassy in Tel Aviv to a building owned by Africa-Israel Investments, because of the company's role in West Bank construction.

The British embassy in Israel has cancelled plans to relocate to new offices because one of the owners is believed to be involved in building Jewish settlements, it was disclosed yesterday, as Hillary Clinton said Israeli demolitions of Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem were of "deep concern".