Israel closes UK consulate in Jerusalem over trade ban on illegal settlements

Israel has moved to close the British consulate in East Jerusalem after the UK, France and Canada announced measures to block imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, marking a fresh escalation in tensions between Israel and the United Kingdom.Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said on Tuesday that the decision was part of a series of countermeasures taken in response to the trade restrictions. The consulate is accredited to the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank.advertisement❮❯ Read Full StorySa'ar said Britain would also be excluded from a US-led coordination mission monitoring the Gaza ceasefire. Israel will also end British training for Palestinian Authority security forces in the West Bank.Israel will bar 12 elected British officials and other UK citizens from entering the country, accusing them of involvement in 'antisemitic and anti-Israel activity'. Sa'ar accused Britain of interfering in Israel's internal affairs and called British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband's remarks about the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians 'outrageous lies'.He said the response had been coordinated with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israeli President Isaac Herzog also accused Britain of interfering in Israel's upcoming elections, scheduled for late October.- Ends