Arabic version: إسرائيل تعلن أربعة إجراءات ضد المملكة المتحدة
According to Al Jazeera, Israel announced four retaliatory measures against the United Kingdom after Britain said it would ban imports of all goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Israel described the British move as part of a “series of anti-Israel decisions by the Labour Government”.
British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband told parliament on Tuesday that the rapid expansion of Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory was “unlawful” and accused Israel of carrying out “ethnic cleansing”. He announced sanctions on companies providing services to illegal settlements and tougher restrictions on arms exports to Israel. Twelve countries, including the UK, France, Canada and Spain, also backed a two-state solution and said they planned trade restrictions on settlements.
Israel’s measures include closing the British consulate in Jerusalem within 30 days, removing British representatives from the International Gaza Support Center in Kiryat Gat, and ending British training activities for Palestinian Authority forces in the occupied West Bank under the British Support Team in Ramallah. Israel also said 12 British MPs and other British nationals would be barred from entry.
Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called Miliband’s accusations “outrageous lies” and said the response was a message to every country that acts against Israel. President Isaac Herzog said sanctions would be a “grave miscalculation” and interference in democratic elections due in late October.
The British consulate in East Jerusalem assists British nationals in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. After UK recognition of Palestinian statehood last year, it functioned as a de facto embassy to Palestine. Miliband called Israel’s closure decision “regrettable and damaging”, while saying Britain’s intelligence and security relationships with Israel would continue. Israel had not announced countermeasures against the other countries in the joint declaration.
