Israel tells UK to close East Jerusalem consulate within 30 days

Israel has told the United Kingdom to close its consulate in occupied East Jerusalem within 30 days, according to reports, after the British government announced sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Israel informed the UK of the timeline for the closure and said British diplomats working at the consulate will also lose their diplomatic status in 30 days, the Reuters news agency reported on Wednesday, citing two Israeli officials and two sources familiar with the matter.

UK staff on a US-led Gaza coordination mission, along with those in Ramallah, must also leave within seven days, Reuters reported, citing one Israeli official and the two other sources. Al Jazeera has approached the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) for confirmation of the reports.

This follows a series of retaliatory measures by Israel in response to the UK, France and Canada announcing sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements on Tuesday.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar confirmed the UK would be dropped from the Gaza mission and that several UK MPs, including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, would be barred from entering Israel.

He also said Israel would close the UK’s consulate in occupied East Jerusalem.

“The British move is morally distorted, and constitutes blatant interference in the affairs of a sovereign state and its electoral process,” Saar said, referring to Israeli elections next month that could see Netanyahu unseated.

UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said on Wednesday he regretted Israel’s decision, but said he ⁠was not surprised.