Jerusalem:Britain may expel Israeli diplomats if Israel proceeds with its plan to close the British consulate in East Jerusalem this week. This development is part of a broader dispute concerning British sanctions targeting Israeli settlements.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA, Israel has demanded that Britain close its consulate in East Jerusalem within 30 days, as of September 8, and withdraw its diplomats. This move follows Britain's announcement of plans to ban trade in goods produced in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
The deadline for the consulate's closure is set for Thursday, affecting approximately 30 British diplomats and their families. If the consulate closes, Britain is expected to retaliate by expelling a comparable number of Israeli diplomats from the UK. The timeline for any British response remains unspecified.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar has accused Britain of interference in Israel's forthcoming general election, following the sanctions announcement. Both the British Foreign Office and the Israeli Foreign Ministry have refrained from commenting on the situation, though an Israeli official indicated that any actions against Israel would prompt a response.