Britain is likely to expel Israeli diplomats if Israel carries out its plans to shut the British consulate in East Jerusalem this week, four sources have stated, reports BritPanorama.
The diplomatic rift follows the UK targeting Israeli settlements with sanctions.
On September 8, Israel granted London 30 days to close its consulate in East Jerusalem and remove its staff from the city. This demand arose after Britain announced plans to introduce a ban on the trade of goods produced within Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
The 30-day window expires on Thursday, affecting roughly 30 British diplomats based at the mission along with their families. Should the consulate be shut down, Britain is expected to respond by ejecting an equivalent number of Israeli representatives from Israel’s embassy in the United Kingdom, according to sources speaking on condition of anonymity.
It remains unclear how swiftly Britain would act if the facility closes. Following the sanctions announcement, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accused London of attempting to interfere in this month’s Israeli general election.
Both the British foreign office and the Israeli foreign ministry declined to comment, but an Israeli official warned that any measures against Israel would be met with a response.
The British sanctions announcement and Israel’s reaction signify a notable low in the relationship between the former allies. Britain has consistently criticized Israel regarding its actions in the war in Gaza and assaults by Israeli settlers on Palestinians. Israeli officials have accused Britain’s governing Labour Party of harboring hostility toward Israel.
The British consulate, located in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem, oversees the UK’s relations with Palestinians in the city as well as in the West Bank and Gaza, also providing consular services to Palestinians.
The consulate has been established in Jerusalem for nearly 200 years, predating the creation of the State of Israel in 1948. Reuters reported on Monday that Britain’s top national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, had quietly visited Israel last week in an attempt to keep the consulate operational but was unable to secure an agreement. A fifth source indicated that Britain remains hopeful that an agreement could still be reached.
Two other sources noted that Britain has requested support from European countries to raise the issue with Israel in the hopes of persuading the government to reverse its decision. A spokesperson for Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar confirmed on Monday that the consulate would indeed close on Thursday.
In outlining the sanctions, Britain stated that Israel’s actions were undermining the potential for a two-state solution — the notion of a Palestinian state coexisting peacefully alongside Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government openly rejects the idea of Palestinian statehood.
Britain, which recognized the State of Palestine last year, cited Israeli government-backed projects aimed at expanding settlements and an increase in settler attacks targeting Palestinians in the West Bank. The British sanctions are set to take effect next year.
France and Canada have also joined in announcing sanctions. Israel has not taken action against either Paris or Ottawa. This incident underscores the growing frustration among Israel’s longstanding allies regarding its settlement activities in the occupied West Bank, a territory captured during the 1967 war. Nearly all countries and UN bodies consider these settlements illegal under international law, a position that Israel disputes.
