Britain could expel Israeli diplomats if Israel follows through on an order to close the British consulate in East Jerusalem, according to four sources familiar with the matter, potentially triggering a new diplomatic confrontation between the two longtime allies.
Israel ordered Britain on September 8 to close the consulate within 30 days and remove its diplomats from the city. The move came after Britain announced plans to ban trade in goods produced in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
The deadline expires on Thursday and would affect around 30 British diplomats working at the consulate, as well as their family members.
If Israel proceeds with the closure, Britain is expected to consider expelling a similar number of Israeli diplomats based at Israel’s embassy in London, the sources said. They did not indicate how quickly Britain might act.
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Neither the British nor Israeli foreign ministries immediately commented on the reported possibility of expulsions. An Israeli official said any British action against Israel would receive a response.
Why Is Israel Targeting the Consulate?
The dispute stems from Britain’s decision to impose trade restrictions on goods produced in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Britain has argued that Israeli settlement expansion and increasing settler violence against Palestinians are undermining the possibility of a two-state solution, under which an independent Palestinian state would exist alongside Israel.
The sanctions are scheduled to take effect next year.
Israel has strongly opposed Britain’s position. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accused London of interfering in Israel’s upcoming general election after Britain announced the measures.
The dispute has also unfolded against the backdrop of Britain’s increasingly critical position on Israel’s conduct in the Gaza war and its policies in the occupied West Bank.
Why Does the East Jerusalem Consulate Matter?
The British consulate in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem has a particularly important diplomatic role.
Unlike a conventional embassy, it handles Britain’s relations with Palestinians in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza and provides consular services to Palestinians.
Its history also predates the establishment of Israel. Britain has maintained the consulate in Jerusalem for almost two centuries.
Its closure would therefore have implications beyond the immediate diplomatic dispute. It could disrupt Britain’s diplomatic and consular engagement with Palestinians while creating another point of friction between London and Jerusalem.
Britain Has Tried to Keep It Open
London has reportedly attempted to resolve the dispute quietly.
Britain’s national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, visited Israel last week in an effort to keep the consulate open but failed to secure an agreement, according to Reuters reporting.
Britain has also asked European countries to raise the issue with Israel in the hope that diplomatic pressure could persuade Jerusalem to reverse its decision.
One source said Britain still hoped an agreement could be reached before the deadline.
But an Israeli foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday that the consulate would close on Thursday.
A Wider Breakdown in Relations
The dispute reflects a broader deterioration in relations between Britain and Israel.
Britain has increasingly criticised Israeli policies in Gaza and the West Bank, while Israel’s government has accused Britain’s Labour government of adopting an increasingly hostile position toward Israel.
Britain formally recognised the State of Palestine last year, further highlighting the differences between the two governments.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has rejected Palestinian statehood, while Britain has argued that settlement expansion is making a two-state solution increasingly difficult to achieve.
France and Canada have also announced sanctions related to Israeli settlements, but Israel has not taken comparable action against their diplomatic missions.
That makes the British consulate dispute particularly significant. It has moved beyond disagreements over policy into a direct confrontation over diplomatic representation.
Why Could Diplomatic Expulsions Matter?
The possible expulsion of diplomats would mark a substantial escalation.
Diplomatic expulsions are generally used to signal that relations have deteriorated significantly, and reciprocal expulsions could further reduce the diplomatic space available to both governments.
For Britain, the immediate issue would be maintaining its diplomatic and consular presence in Jerusalem and its engagement with Palestinians.
For Israel, the dispute comes as it faces growing criticism from several traditional Western partners over settlement expansion and the Gaza war.
The two sides therefore face a choice between finding a last-minute compromise or allowing the consulate closure to trigger a broader diplomatic response.
For now, Britain has not publicly confirmed that it will expel Israeli diplomats. But if the consulate closes as scheduled, the dispute could become one of the clearest recent signs of how far the relationship between the two countries has shifted.
With information from Reuters.
