Key facts
- Britain is considering expelling Israeli diplomats if Israel closes the British consulate in East Jerusalem.
- Israel ordered the closure of the British consulate within 30 days.
- The deadline for the consulate's closure is Thursday.
- Around 30 British diplomats and their families work at the consulate.
- The dispute arose after Britain announced sanctions on goods from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
- Britain recognized the State of Palestine in 2025.
Britain is contemplating the expulsion of Israeli diplomats in retaliation if Israel proceeds with its order to shut down the British consulate in East Jerusalem. The deadline for this closure, which affects approximately 30 British diplomats and their families, is set for Thursday.
The diplomatic standoff originated from Britain's decision to impose sanctions on goods produced in Israeli settlements located in the occupied West Bank. In response, Israel issued an order on September 8 for the British consulate to cease operations within 30 days and for its diplomats to leave the city.
Sources indicate that if the consulate is indeed closed, Britain is likely to reciprocate by expelling a comparable number of Israeli diplomats from its embassy in the UK. The exact timeline for such a retaliatory measure remains unspecified.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has criticized Britain's sanctions as "morally distorted" and accused the UK's ruling Labour party of harboring hostility towards Israel. The British consulate, situated in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem, has historically managed the UK's relations with Palestinians in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza for nearly two centuries, predating Israel's establishment.
Efforts by UK national security adviser Jonathan Powell to negotiate a resolution and prevent the consulate's closure reportedly failed. Britain has also sought support from other European nations to persuade Israel to reverse its decision. The UK government has stated that Israeli actions, including expanding settlements and increasing settler attacks on Palestinians, undermine the prospects for a two-state solution, a concept that the current Israeli government openly rejects.