The British National Security Adviser, Jonathan Powell, secretly traveled to Israel last week to prevent the closure of the country's consulate in East Jerusalem. This action followed Israel's order to Britain to close the consulate within 30 days after the announcement of sanctions against Israeli settlements.
Details of the Trip and Negotiations
During this trip, Jonathan Powell spoke with Israeli officials, but according to informed sources, these negotiations did not lead to an agreement to preserve the consulate. Israel issued the order to close the British consulate on September 8, stating that diplomats from this country must soon leave East Jerusalem.
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Tensions in Israel-Britain Relations
This incident reflects growing dissatisfaction among Israel's long-time allies regarding settlement activities in the West Bank, which many countries consider a violation of international law. While Israel denies these accusations, Britain has pointed to actions in its announcement of sanctions that, in its view, undermine the possibility of a two-state solution. These sanctions will soon be implemented.
The British consulate in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem is responsible for the country's relations with Palestinians in this city as well as in the West Bank and Gaza, providing consular services to Palestinians. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar has described Britain's decision to impose sanctions as "morally flawed" and accused the ruling Labour Party of Britain of interfering in Israel's upcoming general elections.
These developments have led to further deterioration of relations between the two old allies. Britain has repeatedly criticized Israel's actions during the Gaza war and the attacks by settlers against Palestinians. Currently, the 30-day deadline for the closure of the British consulate is coming to an end, and negotiations appear to be ongoing, but the likelihood of reaching an agreement before the deadline is low.
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