LONDON — The United Kingdom will ban imports of goods from Israeli settlements in the West Bank and bar British companies from providing services that directly benefit the settlements. The government announced the measure after sustained pressure from human rights organizations and international bodies that consider the settlements illegal under international law.
Israel responded immediately, declaring it would close the British consulate in Jerusalem. Israeli officials said additional retaliatory measures are under consideration but did not specify their nature. The consulate serves as a key diplomatic outpost for U.K. engagement with Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.
The U.K.'s decision aligns its trade policy with the European Union's long-standing stance on goods from Israeli settlements and strains relations between London and Jerusalem. The ban targets economic activity in the settlements, which are home to more than 400,000 Israelis and are viewed by the international community as an impediment to a two-state solution.
The consulate closure will immediately hamper consular services for British citizens and diplomatic channels in the region, complicating the U.K.'s ability to monitor developments and provide aid in Palestinian territories. The Israeli Foreign Ministry has not announced a specific effective date for the closure or details of other planned retaliations.
