Israel has announced retaliatory measures against Britain after the UK moved to ban imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said on Tuesday that Israel would close the British consulate in East Jerusalem. The consulate plays a key role in Britain’s relations with the Palestinians.
Israel also announced entry bans on 12 British figures. The list includes 11 lawmakers and one other British national. Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Zarah Sultana and Diane Abbott are among those named.
UK Targets Goods From Israeli Settlements
The Israeli response came after British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced new measures against Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
The UK plans to ban imports of goods produced in Israeli settlements in the occupied territory. London also announced sanctions against companies and individuals involved in settlement construction, infrastructure financing and real estate.
Miliband said the measures target settlement activity rather than Israel within its pre-1967 borders. He also reaffirmed Britain’s support for a two-state solution.
The UK said the new trade ban could take between six and nine months to come into force. France and Canada announced similar measures at the same time. Several other countries have also backed action against settlement activity.
Israel Announces Further Measures
Sa’ar described Britain’s decision as interference in Israel’s affairs. He also criticized Miliband’s comments about Israeli settler violence in the West Bank.
In addition to closing the British consulate, Israel said it would remove British representatives from a Gaza coordination center. It also plans to end British training activities for Palestinian Authority security forces in the West Bank.
The 12 people facing Israeli entry restrictions include Jeremy Corbyn, Zarah Sultana, Diane Abbott, Naz Shah, John McDonnell and Richard Burgon. Several Green Party lawmakers are also on the list.
UK Raises Concerns Over West Bank Violence
Miliband has accused Israeli settler extremists of carrying out actions that amount to ethnic cleansing in the West Bank. He has also criticized the Israeli government’s response to settler violence.
The UK government says settlement expansion threatens the prospects for a future Palestinian state. It has therefore linked its latest measures to efforts to preserve a two-state solution.
Israel strongly rejects the British government’s approach and has defended its settlement policy.
Relations Between Britain and Israel Worsen
The latest measures mark another serious deterioration in UK-Israel relations.
Britain and several other Western countries have increased pressure on Israel over settlement expansion and violence in the West Bank. Israel, in turn, has accused Britain of taking hostile steps against the country.
The dispute is likely to increase diplomatic pressure on both governments as international debate over the future of the West Bank and a two-state solution continues.
