Israeli officials have issued a directive requiring the British consulate located in East Jerusalem to cease operations within a one-month timeframe. Furthermore, diplomatic staff associated with this office will have their accreditation revoked. Reports indicate that British personnel involved in a United States-led coordination mission for Gaza, along with diplomats stationed in Ramallah, have been given a seven-day deadline to depart. This move follows Foreign Minister Gideon Saar’s announcement that the closure is a retaliatory measure against the United Kingdom’s expanded restrictions on imports originating from Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Minister Saar criticized the British government’s stance, labeling their actions as an inappropriate intervention in sovereign affairs. The diplomatic tension escalated after the UK government expressed intentions to impose sanctions on specific individuals and entities linked to settlement activities, prompting a sharp rebuke from Israeli leadership regarding the nature of British foreign policy.
Source : The National
Photo : The National
