Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced on Tuesday that Israel will close the British Consulate in Jerusalem and take a series of additional countermeasures in response to new sanctions announced by British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband.
Sa’ar said the measures were decided upon with the agreement of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and follow what he described as a series of anti-Israel decisions by Britain’s Labour Government.
Under the measures, Israel will close the British Consulate in Jerusalem, remove British representatives from the International Gaza Support Center in Kiryat Gat, terminate British activities training Palestinian Authority forces in Judea and Samaria under the “British Support Team in Ramallah,” and deny entry to Israel to 12 British elected representatives and other British nationals involved in antisemitic and anti-Israel activity or who deny Israel’s existence.
“Unfortunately, a hostile Labour Government is in office, systematically acting against the State of Israel, and it has left us with no choice but to finally respond to its hostile actions,” Sa’ar stated.
The announcement came after Miliband unveiled a series of measures targeting Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria.
Miliband announced that Britain would move to ban trade in goods produced in Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria and impose restrictions on companies and individuals providing services, including construction and financing, for settlement expansion. He also announced further restrictions on arms exports to Israel.
“For a long time, the British government has said such settlements are illegal,” Miliband told the House of Commons. “Today I announce the official view of the British government is that the occupation is unlawful.”
France and Canada joined Britain in announcing that they would introduce national measures banning trade in goods from Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria.
Miliband also criticized Israel’s decision to publish construction tenders for the E1 area and said the British government agrees with the UN definition of ethnic cleansing and believes ethnic cleansing is taking place in parts of Judea and Samaria.
Sa’ar rejected the British accusations and criticized the timing and substance of the measures.
“The accusations made today by the Foreign Secretary of the Labour Government in the British Parliament were outrageous lies,” he said.
“The British move is morally distorted and constitutes blatant interference in the affairs of a sovereign state and in its electoral process,” Sa’ar added.
He also rejected the claims regarding construction in E1, saying that no new decisions had been made on development in the area.
“Contrary to the false claims of the Labour Government, no new decisions have been made regarding development in E1. The decision was taken more than a year ago, and the tender process has been underway for many months,” he stated.
Sa’ar said the Israeli government’s decision included plans for two roads, Road 80 between the Bethlehem and Ramallah areas and the “Fabric of Life” Road between a-Za’im and al-Ezariya, and rejected claims that the plans would sever Palestinian territorial contiguity.
The Foreign Minister also accused the British government of applying a one-sided policy toward Israel while failing to take measures against the Palestinian Authority over its payments to terrorists.
“This conflict will not be resolved through declarations from London or Paris, and a one-sided, anti-Israel approach only pushes the possibility of reaching a solution further away rather than bringing it closer,” he said.
Sa’ar listed a series of measures taken by Britain’s Labour Government since it came to power in July 2024, including its recognition of a Palestinian state, resumption of funding for UNRWA, restrictions on defense exports to Israel, sanctions on Israeli ministers and other Israelis, suspension of negotiations on a free trade agreement, and restrictions on military and security cooperation.
Sa’ar announced that the following UK elected representatives and British nationals will be denied entry to Israel: Jeremy Corbyn MP; Zarah Sultana MP; Fahad Ansari, Director of Riverway to the Sea; Naz Shah MP; Diane Abbott MP; Hannah Spencer MP; Carla Denyer MP; Sian Berry MP; Ellie Chowns MP; John McDonnell MP; Richard Burgon MP and Adrian Ramsay MP.
Announcing the closure of the British Consulate, Sa’ar stressed Israel’s sovereignty over its capital.
“United Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and is under its full sovereignty. Any activity by a foreign state within it must be carried out with the consent of the State of Israel,” he stated.
Sa’ar warned that Israel could take similar steps against other countries that act against it.
“Britain initiated and led the current move. But we will also take countermeasures, at our discretion, against other countries that act or will act against Israel,” he said.
“The message to every government that harms us is clear: whoever acts against Israel, Israel will act against them, and they will lose their influence and relevance in the region.”
“Measures against Israel will not go unanswered,” Sa’ar concluded.