Israel retaliates strongly against British settlement sanctions by closing consulates

On the 8th (local time), Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar characterized Britain's new sanctions against Israeli settlements as blatant interference in internal affairs in the upcoming general election and announced strong retaliatory measures, including the closure of the British consulate in East Jerusalem.

Minister Saar said on this day, "The British Labor government is systematically acting against Israel, so a response was inevitable," and criticized these sanctions as "a morally distorted action aimed at interfering with the electoral system of a sovereign nation."

He also claimed that the UK was in fact supporting the BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions of Israel) movement.

In particular, he pointed out that Britain is ignoring terrorist acts in Palestine and, on the contrary, is causing direct harm to tens of thousands of Palestinian workers working in settlements.

In addition, he directly criticized the British government's sanctions against Israeli ministers and exclusion from participation in defense industry exhibitions over the past two years, saying, "The Labor Party government is encouraging anti-Semitism."

He also actively defended the 'E1 settlement' project, which was controversial in the international community.

Minister Saar emphasized that the project was a legitimate plan that was decided about a year ago and took nine months to complete, and countered that it would not cut off the West Bank as two roads, including a 'fabric of life' road, are being built in the region.

Israel has also begun practical countermeasures.

Minister Saar announced that he would close the British consulate in East Jerusalem and completely exclude Britain from participating in the US military-led Gaza coordination mission underway in Kiryat Ghat in southern Israel.

It was also decided to disallow training of the Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces in the West Bank, which had been undertaken by the UK, in the future.

Minister Saar stated that “all activities of other countries within Israeli territory must be carried out with the consent of Israel.”

Additionally, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that 12 people would be banned from entering the country in connection with these sanctions.

The list included 11 members of the House of Representatives and lawyer Fahad Ansari. Attorney Ansari represented Hamas in a court case brought by the Hamas Political Bureau to exclude it from the list of designated terrorist organizations in the United Kingdom.

Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the people on the list as "those who engage in anti-Semitic and anti-Israel activities and those who deny the very existence of the State of Israel."

Allied organizations of Israeli settlements in the West Bank also protested against British sanctions.

Israel Gantz, chairman of Yesha Council, the largest settlements group, condemned, “Boycotting and sanctioning products from the West An simply because they live and work on Jewish ancestral land is a shameful act of anti-Semitism.”

Previously, 12 countries, including the UK, France, and Canada, decided to introduce or actively pursue sanctions against Israeli settlements and trade in the West Bank of Palestine.