Daily Briefing Sept. 9 – ‘As a Jew,’ UK’s Miliband announces sanctions on settlements

The UK has imposed sanctions on West Bank settlements, prompting a diplomatic backlash from Israel. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband defended the decision, stating it was the "right thing to do". According to The Times of Israel, Miliband also made a statement about being "a Jew".

In response, Israel announced it would close the UK's consulate in east Jerusalem and expel British representatives at the Kiryat Gat Civil-Military Coordination Center. Miliband said the closure would be "damaging" for links with the Palestinian Authority, but asserted that the UK had "weighed up the costs and the benefits in advance".

The UK's decision has been criticized by members of the British Jewish community leadership, including Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, who described it as a "dark day for British Jews". Despite the diplomatic tensions, Miliband expressed confidence that intelligence co-operation with Israel, particularly on Iran, would continue. The National Business reported that security sources had noted a drop in information sharing between Mossad and British intelligence agencies after the UK recognised a Palestinian state last year.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Times of Israel, Jerusalem Post, The National Business — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.