Israeli settlers protest UK sanctions outside consulate in East Jerusalem

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar had previously announced that Israel would close the British consulate in East Jerusalem and ban 11 British MPs, among other sanctions, in response to the UK's measures.

The protest was organized by Arieh King, a well-known far-right settler and dual British-Israeli citizen. King, who heads the United with Arieh King faction on the Jerusalem municipal council, called on Israeli authorities to take action against the British consulate.

Last week, the British government declared the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and announced comprehensive sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements. Government sources confirmed to MEE that Israeli settlements in the Golan Heights and in East Jerusalem will be covered by the UK's new measures, as well as those in the occupied West Bank. Eleven other countries—Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden—joined the UK in supporting or considering sanctions on trade in goods with settlements.

In a letter sent to Saar and Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion before the British announcement, King proposed measures against the consulate, referencing his British family background. King is a former head of the Israel Land Fund, an organization involved in efforts to remove Palestinians from their homes in Jerusalem and promote Israeli settlements.

Following the British announcement, King published a video calling on the UK to cancel services provided to the consulate by Israeli entities. Bezeq, an Israeli telecommunications company, is listed in a UN database of businesses involved in activities linked to Israeli settlements.

King has also launched an initiative to rename King George Street in Jerusalem, which was named during the British Mandate. He has previously attracted controversy for his far-right political views and anti-Muslim posts. He has also campaigned against the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, Unrwa, and supported efforts to outlaw its operations. King was quoted as saying, “We will throw out, annihilate and kill all members of Unrwa.”

More recently, King was barred from entering Canada due to campaigns against his planned fundraising tour for the Israel Land Fund, with complaints filed over his alleged involvement in war crimes.