Israel Closes British Consulate in Jerusalem After UK Bans Settlement Imports

The United Kingdom announced it would introduce a prohibition on importing products from illegal settlements in the occupied territories and establish a new comprehensive sanctions regime with exemptions for religious reasons, as France, the United Kingdom, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Iceland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, and Sweden confirmed restrictions on trade with illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

“including the closure of its consulate in Jerusalem, in response to the trade sanctions announced by London against Israeli settlements in the West Bank”

20Minutos

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Israel would respond with countermeasures against the United Kingdom, including closing the British consulate in Jerusalem, banning entry for twelve Britons, and withdrawing representatives of Britain from the Civic-Military Coordination Center for Gaza (CMCC).

20Minutos

Saar framed the move as retaliation for London’s sanctions on the settlements in the West Bank, which he said were a response to trade sanctions announced by London against Israeli settlements in the West Bank, illegal under international law.

The ABC reported that Israel’s package also included withdrawing UK representatives from the International Gaza Support Center in Kiryat Gat, ending British security forces training activities for the Palestinian Authority, and banning entry to twelve people including Jeremy Corbyn, Zarah Sultana and Diane Abbott, as well as Fahad Ansari.

In the same dispute, the 20Minutos account said Saar announced the closure of the British consulate in East Jerusalem and a ban on entry to Israel for twelve British citizens, while also stating that Britain would be barred from training forces of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank.2

Palestinian Authority welcomed the announcement by 12 countries including France and the UK of trade sanctions on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, with Mahmoud Abbas’s office calling it "an important step" to accountability and "demonstrating non-recognition of the unlawful situation created by the occupation."

Israel’s President Isaac Herzog condemned the UK-led restrictions as "a decision that will be on the wrong side of history and a serious interference in the democratic elections of a sovereign nation," adding that it would "directly harm, unfortunately, the Palestinians, depriving them of business and employment."

20Minutos

In London’s framing, Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband told Parliament that the sanctions regime would target "the illegal settlements and their expansion, not Israel," while also saying the UK believes there is "ethnic cleansing" in some areas of the West Bank perpetrated by "terrorist settlers."

Saar responded by calling the Labour government "hostile" and saying it works "systematically against the State of Israel," while accusing Miliband of spreading "scandalous lies" and describing London’s decisions as "flagrant interference in the affairs of a sovereign state."

The AAPNews account added that Saar described Miliband’s comments about ethnic cleansing of Palestinians by Israel as accusations that were "outrageous lies," and said the Israeli response was coordinated with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as Herzog accused Britain of interfering in Israel’s upcoming elections due in late October.

The UK ban is described as targeting goods and services with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, with Ed Miliband saying the government would ban imports of all goods from the settlements and bar companies from providing services including financing, construction, infrastructure, real estate and advertising.

“The ban on trade will be in place in six to nine months, Miliband said”

ABC

Miliband said the ban would be in place in six to nine months, while also tightening Britain’s embargo on weapons sales to Israel for use in Gaza to include arms "that materially contribute to the occupation" of Palestinian territories.

The ABC reported that the confrontation centered on the E1 project, east of Jerusalem, with Saar warning there was no new Israeli decision on the project and accusing London of using the issue to pressure during the Israeli electoral campaign.

In the same thread, the 20Minutos account said the letter from the participating countries cited a deteriorating situation in the West Bank, including "the inadmissible decision to publish tenders for the E1 settlement project," and urged the Netanyahu government to "immediately stop the expansion of the settlements and the civil administrative competences."2

The AAPNews account said the trade measures proposed by Britain, France and Canada were the latest in a series targeting Israel’s settlement policy and underscored growing diplomatic isolation among some traditional allies, while also noting Israel announced plans for 1000 new West Bank homes on Tuesday.