UK Envoy Fails to Prevent Closure of Jerusalem Consulate After Sanctions Row

British National Security Advisor Jonathan Powell visited Israel last week in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent the closure of the British Consulate in East Jerusalem, according to three sources. Israel ordered the consulate's closure after London announced sanctions targeting Israeli settlements. Powell, whose visit was not officially announced by the British government, held talks with Israeli officials but failed to reach an agreement to keep the consulate open.

Israel had ordered Britain on September 8 to close its East Jerusalem consulate within 30 days and expel its diplomats. This action followed Britain's announcement of its intention to ban goods produced in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. France and Canada have also imposed similar sanctions, but Israel has not taken action against them.

The incident highlights growing frustration among Israel's traditional allies over its West Bank settlements, which many countries deem illegal under international law, a stance Israel rejects. The 30-day deadline for the consulate's closure expires on Thursday. While talks are ongoing and an agreement remains possible, sources indicated it is unlikely before the Thursday deadline.

A spokesperson for the Israeli Foreign Ministry told Reuters that the consulate would close as scheduled on Thursday. No comment was immediately available from a British government spokesperson. Britain stated when announcing sanctions that Israeli practices undermine the two-state solution, a concept involving a Palestinian state coexisting peacefully with Israel. The government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Britain cited Israeli government-backed settlement expansion plans and an increase in settler attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank. The British sanctions are set to take effect next year. The British Consulate, located in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem, manages Britain's relations with Palestinians in the city, the West Bank, and Gaza, and provides them with consular services.

Separately, Israeli Foreign Ministry official Gideon Sa'ar described Britain's sanctions decision as "morally distorted," accusing the British Labour Party of anti-Israel sentiment and interfering in upcoming Israeli elections. The sanctions announcement and Israel's reaction mark a further deterioration in relations between the two former close allies. Britain has long criticized Israel over its conduct in the Gaza war and settler violence against Palestinians.