Israel to close UK consulate and bar some British MPs over settler sanctions

Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced plans to close the UK's consulate in East Jerusalem following Britain's Labour government imposing sanctions on Israeli settlements. The closure of the consulate, which houses dozens of staff, marks a significant escalation in the diplomatic rift between Israel and some of its key Western allies.

The sanctions imposed by Britain target Israeli settlements and include measures to remove British military and security officials who train Palestinian Authority officials in Ramallah, as well as removing British officials from the Civilian-Military Co-ordination Committee overseeing aid and reconstruction in Gaza. Twelve British MPs will also be barred from entering Israel and the occupied West Bank due to their "anti-semitic and anti-Israel activities."

Foreign Minister Saar accused the British government of "racism" and engaging in "blatant interference in the affairs of a sovereign state and in its electoral process." He emphasized that Israel's public overwhelmingly supports the communities in Judea and Samaria and opposes the establishment of a Palestinian terror state in the West Bank. Saar stated that the Labour government's measures, which he believes are doomed to fail, are an attempt to impose their will on Israel, which will ultimately backfire.

The announcement comes amid Israel's crucial election campaign season, with the ultranationalist government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nearing the end of its term. Saar vowed that Israel would not succumb to the pressure from what he called "jihadists, Islamists, antisemites, far-leftists, and wokes," warning that such actions would harm both Israel and the British government's influence.