UK threatens to expel 27 Israeli diplomats if East Jerusalem consulate is closed
Senior British officials have told Israel the UK will expel 27 Israeli diplomats and their families if Israel closes Britain's East Jerusalem consulate on Thursday, after a secret mission by national security adviser Jonathan Powell failed to save it.
Britain has warned Israel it will expel 27 Israeli diplomats, along with their families, if Israel goes ahead with closing the British consulate in East Jerusalem and expelling British diplomats, two sources familiar with the matter told The Jerusalem Post on Monday (http://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-910687).
The warning surfaced as Reuters revealed that Britain’s national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, quietly visited Israel last week in an undisclosed bid to prevent the consulate’s closure, but failed to reach an agreement with Israeli officials (https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-security-adviser-visited-israel-bid-keep-jerusalem-consulate-open-sources-say-2026-10-05/). The consulate, in East Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood, handles Britain’s relations with Palestinians in the city, the West Bank and Gaza, as well as consular services for Palestinians (https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-security-adviser-visited-israel-bid-keep-jerusalem-consulate-open-sources-say-2026-10-05/).
Israel ordered Britain on 8 September to close the consulate within 30 days and remove its diplomats from the city, after London announced it would ban goods made in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank; France and Canada joined the sanctions, against whom Israel has taken no action (https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-security-adviser-visited-israel-bid-keep-jerusalem-consulate-open-sources-say-2026-10-05/). The 30-day deadline runs out on Thursday. A spokesperson for Israeli foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar told Reuters the consulate would close on Thursday as announced, while a UK government spokesperson had no immediate comment (https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-security-adviser-visited-israel-bid-keep-jerusalem-consulate-open-sources-say-2026-10-05/). Two sources said talks were still under way and an agreement to keep it open was possible, though unlikely by the Thursday deadline (https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-security-adviser-visited-israel-bid-keep-jerusalem-consulate-open-sources-say-2026-10-05/).
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