Israel has ordered the closure of the British consulate in occupied East Jerusalem after the UK announced sanctions on goods from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. Foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar also announced entry bans on several British MPs and the termination of British involvement in training Palestinian security forces in the West Bank.
Israel announces diplomatic and political retaliation
Sa’ar said the closure was based on Israel’s position that Jerusalem is its undivided capital and that foreign activity there must use agreed channels without violating Israeli sovereignty. Israel regards the British measures as interference in its affairs and electoral process.
The entry bans cover several mostly leftwing MPs, including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Your Party MP Zarah Sultana, Labour MPs Diane Abbott, Naz Shah, John McDonnell and Richard Burgon, and Green MPs Hannah Spencer, Carla Denyer, Siân Berry and Ellie Chowns. For additional context, see “Palestinian killed in Jerusalem while Qusra families remain under siege”.
Key points
- The consulate is in the Sheikh Jarrah area and handles Palestinian issues involving Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem.
- The British embassy, where the UK ambassador is based, remains in Tel Aviv.
- Britain will be excluded from a US-led Gaza coordination mission based in Israel.
- The UK coordinated its sanctions with 11 other countries, including France and Canada.
Dispute centres on settlements and West Bank policy
The UK’s foreign secretary, Ed Miliband, described violent Jewish settler activity in the occupied West Bank as “ethnic cleansing” carried out with the tacit backing of the Netanyahu government. He also said Britain regards Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, as well as the settlements, as illegal.
The British government had previously sanctioned some Israeli settlers and illegal outposts over violence against Palestinians and illegal development. The latest measures were announced jointly with 11 other countries after efforts to establish a wider European approach proved difficult. A related part of this story is covered in “Teenagers killed as West Bank village faces settler encirclement”.
Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog, called the British response a serious miscalculation and argued that sanctions should be replaced by dialogue. US officials gave differing responses: ambassador Mike Huckabee warned of possible retaliation, while secretary of state Marco Rubio said Washington would not block imports from Israeli settlements and opposed steps that could destabilise the West Bank.
What happens next
Israel is due to hold an election in late October, while the government’s announced measures include closing the consulate, imposing entry bans and ending British training involvement with Palestinian security forces. The development of this issue can be followed in “Britain signals a tougher line on Israeli settlements”.
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