Israel on Tuesday announced that it was closing Britain's consulate in East Jerusalem accredited to the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar saithat the government decided to close Britain's consulate in East Jerusalem. The development comes after London announced it was imposing sanctions on goods from Israeli settlements.
UK Removed From US-Led Coordination Mission For Gaza: Israel
Announcing the government's decision, Saar said Britain would no longer be able to allowed to participate in the US-led coordination mission for Gaza. In a statement, Saar said Israel would also expel UK representatives from a joint military centre monitoring the Gaza ceasefire and end UK training of the Palestinian Authority's security forces in the West Bank.
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In addition, Israel will prevent the entry into Israel of 12 elected UK officials, as well as other British citizens, Sa'ar said, who were involved in antisemitic and anti-Israel activity.
Saar announced the move as part of a series of countermeasures against the UK for its decision to ban trade with the Israeli settlements.
UK Condemns 'Ethnic Cleansing'
Earlier in the day, the UK announced sanctions on Israeli settlements in the West Bank, banning the import of goods from the occupied Palestinian territories which it declared as "illegal".
UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband was joined by Prime Minister Andy Burnham in the House of Commons as he delivered a statement to condemn the "ethnic cleansing of Palestinians" in West Bank settlements. While highlighting his own "proud British Jew" heritage, Miliband announced a new comprehensive sanctions regime with appropriate religious exemptions".
"The government believes the unlawfulness of the occupation should be reflected in the economic relationships we choose to have with the occupied territories," Miliband told MPs. "So I can announce today that we will introduce an import ban on goods from illegal settlements in the occupied territories," he said.
Miliband said action would be taken against specific companies and individuals providing construction, infrastructure, financing or real estate services linked to settlement expansion.
"So to those who finance or facilitate illegal settlements, let me say this, you will face the full force of UK sanctions. Settlements are illegal. They should not be promoted in our country," he said.
His announcement came alongside a joint statement by 11 other countries in support of the UK's stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict. The foreign ministers of these countries declared that the government of Israel's actions in the West Bank are undermining the possibility of a two-state solution.
"Today, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK confirm their intention to introduce national and/or support European restrictions on trade in goods with settlements which are illegal under international law, or that they are actively considering these and other measures, in accordance with their national procedures," reads the joint statement.
(With Agencies Inputs)
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