Israel Closes British Consulate in Jerusalem Over West Bank Boycott

Israel has announced retaliatory measures against Britain following London's declaration of a boycott on goods from the West Bank, a move joined by several other European nations. Among the responses, Israel will close the British Consulate in East Jerusalem, which has been operating since the 19th century. Additionally, British representatives will be expelled from the international headquarters in Kiryat Gat, and British aid for training Palestinian Authority forces will be halted.

Foreign Minister Gideon Saar condemned the British decision, calling it an "absurd" step by the Labour party, especially given the Balfour Declaration which recognized the Jewish people's right to establish a state in the Land of Israel, including the West Bank. Saar characterized the boycott as a "blatant and unacceptable attempt by a foreign government to influence during an election period," warning that Palestinians would also be directly harmed by these actions. He criticized the one-sided approach against Israel, stating it distances a solution and that such declarations from London and Paris will not resolve the conflict.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir welcomed the closure of the consulate, stating it was a response to his demand and expressed pride in confronting "hypocritical, antisemitic governments operating within Jerusalem." Leaders from the West Bank, including Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, and Yisrael Gantz, chairman of the Yesha Council, also denounced the British decision as a "despicable antisemitic act" and a continuation of a hostile policy. They vowed to respond to any harm to settlements with further construction and Israeli sovereignty.

The British government, through Foreign Secretary David Miliband, had previously declared that the Israeli occupation is illegal, a stance that would be reflected in economic relations. Britain announced it would promote a ban on trade with the West Bank and take action against companies servicing settlements. This was accompanied by a joint statement from the foreign ministers of 12 countries, including Iceland, Ireland, Denmark, Norway, Spain, Poland, Portugal, Finland, France, Canada, and Sweden, indicating their intention to impose, support, or examine trade restrictions with settlements. These nations cited the expansion of settlements, the E1 project, and settler violence as undermining the two-state solution.