ISRAEL will close the British consulate in Jerusalem amid fury from Tel Aviv over a new package of sanctions banning imports from illegal West Bank settlements.
Gideon Sa’ar, Israel’s foreign minister, said that the diplomatic base would be closed in retaliation against Ed Miliband’s raft of measures against Israel.
In a press conference, he said that the UK would be excluded from a US-led programme tasked with overseeing the ceasefire and facilitating the entry of aid to Gaza.
Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announces the 'closure of the British consulate in Jerusalem' in response to the UK's new sanctions on settlements in the West Bank https://t.co/KwlS4fHYKH pic.twitter.com/213JmaUn7M
— Viory Video (@vioryvideo) September 8, 2026
Speaking from Jerusalem and translated on-air for Sky News, Sa’ar said: “We did not ... We do not return to our land after 2000 years in order to lose it under the pressure of Islamists, antisemites, jihadists, woke people and people from the extreme left.
“Not only will you not harm us, you will harm yourselves.”
Israel has also drawn up a list of 12 Britons who are now barred from the country, including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Zarah Sultana, Diane Abbott, the five Green MPs and Richard Burgon.
Miliband has enraged the Israeli government by confirming the “reality” that the occupation of the West Bank is unlawful as he announced a ban on imported goods from Israeli settlements.
Speaking in the Commons, he said: “The official view of the British Government is that the occupation is unlawful, because of Israel’s entrenchment of its control, its intention to extend permanent sovereignty, and its expansionist agenda via illegal settlements.
“Our position is not just an overdue statement of reality. The Government believes the unlawfulness of the occupation should be reflected in the economic relationships we choose to have with the occupied territories.
“I do not believe the British people want us supporting the occupation by accepting products from settlements in our shops and supermarkets. So I can announce today that we will introduce an import ban on goods from illegal settlements in the occupied territories.”
His announcement was broadly welcomed by pro-Palestine groups and politicians but they have also called on the Foreign Secretary to further, having stopped short of announcing a full arms embargo and leaving the door open to some trade with settlements, for instance in services.
Miliband said there would be sanctions against anyone who provided “provide services such as construction, infrastructure, financing, or real estate for settlement expansion” however it appears that the import ban on goods from illegal settlements does not extend to services.
