Israel has ordered the closure of the British consulate in occupied East Jerusalem, citing new UK sanctions on goods linked to illegal Israeli settlements.

Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, said the consulate would be shut in response to the “sweeping” measures announced by the UK and described as retaliatory steps. He also announced entry bans for a number of UK MPs.

Closure and Entry Bans

The consulate, located in the Sheikh Jarrah area, deals with Palestinian issues in the occupied territories, including Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem. The British embassy in Tel Aviv hosts the UK ambassador to Israel.

Sa’ar’s announcement came as diplomatic ties between the two countries have sharply deteriorated.

Jerusalem Sovereignty Statement

Sa’ar said Jerusalem is Israel’s undivided capital and argued that foreign activity in the city must go through what Israel considers approved channels.

“United Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and is under its full sovereignty,” Sa’ar said. “Any foreign activity in the area must be conducted through accepted and agreed channels and without violating Israel’s sovereignty.”

Alongside the consulate closure, the Israeli foreign minister said Israel would stop British involvement in the training of Palestinian security forces on the West Bank. He also said Britain would be excluded from a US-led Gaza coordination mission based in Israel.

UK Sanctions and Retaliatory Claims

The entry bans cover mostly leftwing MPs, including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Your Party MP Zarah Sultana, Labour MPs Diane Abbott, Naz Shah, John McDonnell and Richard Burgon, and Green MPs Hannah Spencer, Carla Denyer, Siân Berry and Ellie Chowns.

Sa’ar linked the measures to comments by Ed Miliband, describing violent activity by Jewish settlers on the occupied West Bank as “ethnic cleansing” carried out with what he said was the tacit backing of the Netanyahu government.

He accused the UK of interfering in Israel’s affairs and political process, adding that sanctions were not the route Israel wanted. Sa’ar said: “Sanctions are not a solution – dialogue is. I say to all foreign governments: Stop. Step away from the dead-end of sanctions and boycotts, and turn toward constructive dialogue and toward cooperation.”

The UK sanctions were coordinated with 11 other countries, including France and Canada.

Israel said Britain’s actions were “morally distorted” and set against Israel’s government. In a further example of the wider political friction, Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s hardline public security minister and a settler leader, urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to recognise Argentina’s claim to the Falkland Islands.

International Reactions and Labour’s Shift

The US response diverged from those of the other coordinating countries. The US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, who has long backed settlement expansion, said the UK sanctions were “discrimination against the Jewish people” and warned the UK could face “repercussions or retaliations” from the US.

In contrast, US secretary of state Marco Rubio said Washington would not block imports from Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territory and did not want moves that could destabilise the West Bank.

Israel has faced repeated warnings from successive British governments over the risk of international isolation and sanctions linked to settlement activity in the occupied territories. Those warnings have intensified as violent settler activity has increased.

Britain’s Labour government previously sanctioned some Israeli settlers and illegal outposts after violence against Palestinians and unlawful development in the West Bank. In a change of approach, Miliband said on Tuesday that the UK considers Israel’s occupation of the West Bank illegal, not only the settlements.

The UK and partners said difficulties in agreeing an EU-wide position led countries to make separate decisions, culminating in a joint statement by 12 countries that they were starting a process for tougher sanctions.

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9 September 2026

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Just now, webfact said:

The entry bans cover mostly leftwing MPs, including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Chomper Hignot Your Party MP Zarah Sultana, Labour MPs Diane Abbott, Naz Shah, John McDonnell and Richard Burgon, and Green MPs Hannah Spencer, Carla Denyer, Siân Berry and Ellie Chowns.

Jeremy and Diane wont now be able to go for a romantic week end in Ramallah

Edited Tuesday at 08:07 PM1 day by Nick Carter icp

Since the UK is broke

more money saved !

That's the thanks they get for the Balfour Declaration!

Britain is becoming a pariah state.

The international community hate the government as much as the citizens do.

The expectation is you the west help us with the greater Israel project and with no questions asked. It may have been the case in the past but the western world is slowly waking up to it and questioning it. Progress albeit slow is not a bad thing.

I feel less and less British everyday with this Labour cluster now Ed Milliwatt as foreign secretary and mincer Wes Streeting at defense we need an election now .

I think many are tired of Israel's influence and meddling in other countries affairs.

Sure the Orange Guy appreciates the info heads up while visiting Turkey but we good without your input.

Tempest in a teapot.

It's just a consulate.

The embassy is in Tel Aviv.

They should do everybody a favour and shut that down.

Zionist Israel is going the way of Apartheid South Africa.

6 hours ago, Tidal wave said:

I feel less and less British everyday with this Labour cluster now Ed Milliwatt as foreign secretary and mincer Wes Streeting at defense we need an election now .

Yeah kick out the traitors like we did to Biden

Well done UK & IL ... Balfour Remorse

IL doesn't deserve recognition

Wish the USA would wake up

Edited 21 hours ago21 hr by KhunLA

Well said Mr Milliband. At last a government minister is standing up to the murdering Zionists.

This, in the big picture, may seem like a drop in the ocean but when joined with action from our brothers and sisters in Spain, France Canada and elsewhere the message becomes louder.

Keep looking over your shoulder Bibi!

9 hours ago, Jim Waldron said:

That's the thanks they get for the Balfour Declaration!

Why thank them for broken promises?

14 hours ago, webfact said:

Israel has ordered the closure of the British consulate in occupied East Jerusalem, citing new UK sanctions on goods linked to illegal Israeli settlements.

Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, said the consulate would be shut in response to the “sweeping” measures announced by the UK and described as retaliatory steps. He also announced entry bans for a number of UK MPs.

Closure and Entry Bans

The consulate, located in the Sheikh Jarrah area, deals with Palestinian issues in the occupied territories, including Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem. The British embassy in Tel Aviv hosts the UK ambassador to Israel.

Sa’ar’s announcement came as diplomatic ties between the two countries have sharply deteriorated.

Jerusalem Sovereignty Statement

Sa’ar said Jerusalem is Israel’s undivided capital and argued that foreign activity in the city must go through what Israel considers approved channels.

“United Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and is under its full sovereignty,” Sa’ar said. “Any foreign activity in the area must be conducted through accepted and agreed channels and without violating Israel’s sovereignty.”

Alongside the consulate closure, the Israeli foreign minister said Israel would stop British involvement in the training of Palestinian security forces on the West Bank. He also said Britain would be excluded from a US-led Gaza coordination mission based in Israel.

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UK Sanctions and Retaliatory Claims

The entry bans cover mostly leftwing MPs, including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Your Party MP Zarah Sultana, Labour MPs Diane Abbott, Naz Shah, John McDonnell and Richard Burgon, and Green MPs Hannah Spencer, Carla Denyer, Siân Berry and Ellie Chowns.

Sa’ar linked the measures to comments by Ed Miliband, describing violent activity by Jewish settlers on the occupied West Bank as “ethnic cleansing” carried out with what he said was the tacit backing of the Netanyahu government.

He accused the UK of interfering in Israel’s affairs and political process, adding that sanctions were not the route Israel wanted. Sa’ar said: “Sanctions are not a solution – dialogue is. I say to all foreign governments: Stop. Step away from the dead-end of sanctions and boycotts, and turn toward constructive dialogue and toward cooperation.”

The UK sanctions were coordinated with 11 other countries, including France and Canada.

Israel said Britain’s actions were “morally distorted” and set against Israel’s government. In a further example of the wider political friction, Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s hardline public security minister and a settler leader, urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to recognise Argentina’s claim to the Falkland Islands.

International Reactions and Labour’s Shift

The US response diverged from those of the other coordinating countries. The US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, who has long backed settlement expansion, said the UK sanctions were “discrimination against the Jewish people” and warned the UK could face “repercussions or retaliations” from the US.

In contrast, US secretary of state Marco Rubio said Washington would not block imports from Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territory and did not want moves that could destabilise the West Bank.

Israel has faced repeated warnings from successive British governments over the risk of international isolation and sanctions linked to settlement activity in the occupied territories. Those warnings have intensified as violent settler activity has increased.

Britain’s Labour government previously sanctioned some Israeli settlers and illegal outposts after violence against Palestinians and unlawful development in the West Bank. In a change of approach, Miliband said on Tuesday that the UK considers Israel’s occupation of the West Bank illegal, not only the settlements.

The UK and partners said difficulties in agreeing an EU-wide position led countries to make separate decisions, culminating in a joint statement by 12 countries that they were starting a process for tougher sanctions.

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9 September 2026

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The USA of the wrong side of history again.

No loss here. Keep it closed.

9 hours ago, TooPoopedToPop said:

Tempest in a teapot.

It's just a consulate.

The embassy is in Tel Aviv.

They should do everybody a favour and shut that down.

Zionist Israel is going the way of Apartheid South Africa.

For sure,

No country guilty of large scale atrocities can survive for any length of time.

Israel's lifespan is dependent on the American military presence in the Middle East.

They have lost their support bases in the region already. Without logistics and intelligence sources to sustain them, the ships and strike forces will find their situation untenable sooner rather than later.

At present they are like a blinded Cyclops thrashing around mindlessly under leaders who are manifestly out of their minds.

11 hours ago, Tidal wave said:

I feel less and less British everyday with this Labour cluster now Ed Milliwatt as foreign secretary and mincer Wes Streeting at defense we need an election now .

You might have pulled off your caper, if it weren't for the fact that Mr Milliband is jewish.

2 minutes ago, Mr Hands said:

if it weren't for the fact that Mr Milliband is jewish.

They will just label him as a 'self hating Jew'

tantamount to a full on 'Antisemite'