Israel tells Britain to close East Jerusalem consulate within 30 days

TEL AVIV, Sept 9: Israel has told Britain it must close its East Jerusalem consulate within a month, Israeli officials said on Wednesday, as a retaliatory step against sanctions that Britain, France and Canada have announced against settlements.

The sanctions are among the strongest collective actions taken by major Western allies of Israel over Israeli settlements, and have prompted intense pushback in Israel weeks before it holds a general election.

While the effect of the sanctions may be mostly symbolic, they highlight Israel's growing isolation among countries it once counted as close allies over its war in Gaza and expansion of settlements in the West Bank.

The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, a staunch supporter of Israel, has condemned the sanctions and accused the British government of "Jew hate", but neither the White House nor the State Department issued strong criticism of the move.

Two Israeli officials and two other sources familiar with the matter said London had been given 30 days to close the consulate, which represents Britain in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza on Palestinian issues.

Israel has also barred 12 British politicians from visiting the country, told British officials and diplomats in the West Bank and a Gaza coordination centre in Israel to leave, and said Britain can no longer train Palestinian security forces in the West Bank.

It has not yet announced actions against France or Canada, which joined Britain in saying they will halt trade with settlements, or against nine other countries that endorsed the UK sanctions.

Although the UK sanctions were widely anticipated, Israeli parliamentary opposition leader YairLapid said on Tuesday that "no one knew" the other countries were going to endorse the move.�"REUTERS