Israel orders closure of British Consulate in Jerusalem in response to UK sanctions

Jerusalem: Israel has ordered the closure of the British consulate in East Jerusalem in retaliation for sweeping sanctions imposed by the UK on goods originating from “illegal” Israeli settlements, further deepening an already bitter diplomatic dispute between the two countries.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced the retaliatory measures after UK Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband described violent activity by Jewish settlers in the West Bank as “ethnic cleansing”.

The measures announced by Israel include the closure of the British consulate in East Jerusalem and entry bans on several British MPs.

The British consulate, located in the Sheikh Jarrah area of Jerusalem, deals primarily with Palestinian-related issues in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and Jerusalem.

The UK’s Ambassador to Israel is based separately at the British embassy in Tel Aviv.

Israel maintains that Jerusalem is its “undivided capital” and rejects the characterisation of its control over the city as an occupation.

“United Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and is under its full sovereignty,” Sa’ar said, adding, “Any foreign activity in the area must be conducted through accepted and agreed channels and without violating Israel’s sovereignty.”

Sa’ar also announced entry restrictions against a number of mostly Left-wing British MPs — former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Your Party MP Zarah Sultana, Labour MPs Diane Abbott, Naz Shah, John McDonnell and Richard Burgon, as well as Green Party MPs Hannah Spencer, Carla Denyer, Sian Berry and Ellie Chowns.

The Israeli government further announced that longstanding British involvement in the training of Palestinian security forces in the West Bank would be brought to an end. The UK will also be excluded from the US-led Gaza coordination mission, which is based in Israel and is involved in coordinating activities related to the conflict.

Sa’ar strongly criticised the British measures and accused London of interfering in Israel’s internal affairs and democratic process.

“The British move is morally distorted, and constitutes blatant interference in the affairs of a sovereign state and its electoral process,” Sa’ar said.

“Israel has nothing against the British people. We know that we have many friends in Britain. Unfortunately, a hostile Labour government is in office, systematically acting against the state of Israel, and it has left us with no choice but to finally respond to its hostile actions,” he said.

Sa’ar said he had coordinated Israel’s response with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

IANS