UK ‘threatens to expel 27 Israeli diplomats’ over Jerusalem consulate

Israel ordered East Jerusalem consulate to be closed in retaliation for British sanctioning of settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Israel has ordered the closure of the British consulate in occupied East Jerusalem [File: AFP]

The United Kingdom has threatened to expel 27 Israeli diplomats should Israel proceed with plans to close the British consulate in occupied East Jerusalem, according to unverified Israeli media reports.

The Ynet outlet reported on Monday that the British Ambassador to Israel, Simon Walters, had conveyed the warning to Israeli officials. Israel ordered the closure of the consulate by October 8 in retaliation for the British decision to sanction illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.

According to the report, the British government has threatened to expel one Israeli diplomat for each of the 27 British diplomats whose diplomatic status at the consulate would be terminated in the event that it is shut.

Israel ordered the consulate’s closure after Britain imposed sanctions targeting illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including a ban on imports.

The consulate operates separately from the British Embassy in Israel and handles relations with Palestinians in East Jerusalem, the occupied West Bank and Gaza, including political and consular affairs.

Britain’s National Security Adviser, Jonathan Powell, travelled to Israel last week in an undisclosed attempt to persuade Israeli officials to reverse the closure, the Reuters news agency reported on Monday. The talks did not produce an agreement, although discussions are continuing.

The British embassy in Israel has declined to comment on the reported threat, according to Ynet.

以色列下令关闭东耶路撒冷领事馆，以报复英国批准在被占领的西岸地区修建定居点。

以色列已下令关闭英国驻被占领的东耶路撒冷领事馆。[图片来源：法新社]

据未经证实的以色列媒体报道，英国威胁称，如果以色列继续推进关闭英国驻被占领的东耶路撒冷领事馆的计划，英国将驱逐27名以色列外交官。

据Ynet新闻网周一报道，英国驻以色列大使西蒙·沃尔特斯已向以色列官员传达了这一警告。作为对英国批准在被占领的西岸地区修建非法定居点的报复，以色列下令英国领事馆于10月8日前关闭。

据报道，英国政府威胁称，如果以色列驻以色列领事馆关闭，英国将驱逐一名以色列外交官，以换取领事馆内 27 名英国外交官的外交身份被终止。

在英国对以色列在西岸的非法定居点实施制裁（包括禁止进口）后，以色列下令关闭该领事馆。

该领事馆独立于英国驻以色列大使馆运作，负责处理与东耶路撒冷、被占领的西岸和加沙地带的巴勒斯坦人的关系，包括政治和领事事务。

据路透社周一报道，英国国家安全顾问乔纳森·鲍威尔上周访问以色列，试图说服以色列官员撤销对英两国的封锁决定，但此行目的并未公开。会谈并未达成协议，但双方仍在继续磋商。

据Ynet报道，英国驻以色列大使馆拒绝就报道中的威胁发表评论。