After the UK announced sanction on Israeli settlements in the West Bank, Israel on Tuesday announced a series of countermeasures in response to the "hostile" sanctions package. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said the British Consulate in Jerusalem will be shut.
Israel also expelled British representatives from the US-backed International Gaza Support Centre and terminated the British Support Team in Ramallah, who are tasked with training members of the Palestinian Authority Security Forces. Besides, 12 British elected officials and citizens "involved in antisemitic and anti-Israel activity" were also banned.
Earlier in the day, the UK banned import of the goods from the occupied Palestinian territories, declaring them as "illegal". UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband condemned the alleged "ethnic cleansing of Palestinians" in West Bank settlements.
Miliband, who highlighted his own "proud British Jew" heritage, said the government believed the the unlawfulness of the occupation should be reflected in the economic relationships we choose to have with the occupied territories.
"So I can announce today that we will introduce an import ban on goods from illegal settlements in the occupied territories," he said. "To those who finance or facilitate illegal settlements, let me say this, you will face the full force of UK sanctions. Settlements are illegal. They should not be promoted in our country."
Responding to Miliband's remarks, Sa'ar said his accusations are "outrageous and false." He also alleged that the sanctions are imposed due to domestic political reasons ahead of the Labour Party conference later this month.
"We have nothing against the British people. Unfortunately, there is a hostile Labour government in office that is systematically acting against Israel, and it will leave us no choice but to respond to its hostile moves," he added.
