Andy Burnham points ultimatum to nation as UK threatens mass expulsions
Britain and Israel have been clashing since the UK introduced sanctions on trade from ‘illegal’ settlements in the West Bank
The government have issued Israel an ultimatum(Image: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images)
The UK government has issued Israel an ultimatum following the UK’s trade sanctions on “illegal” Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Britain’s consulate in East Jerusalem has been ordered to shut on October 8 and it is unclear what will happen to the UK’s associated diplomats. In a stern response, Andy Burnham’s Government has pledged to expel one Israeli diplomat for every British counterpart expelled from Israel.
The ultimatum means as many as 27 Israelis could be expelled from the UK as the row between countries intensifies. The stand off was first reported by Israeli newspaper Ynet as the UK Foreign Office said it will not comment on speculation but has not outright denied the claims.
The development comes after Ed Miliband announced sanctions on the country (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
The Israelis threatened to close the UK consulate in East Jerusalem after the government imposed a trade ban on goods from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. The government has also imposed sanctions on British firms which aid, support or facilitate the development of illegal settlements.
In Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband’s address to parliament unveiling the sanctions, he stated settler terrorists were committing ethnic cleansing in the West Bank and were supported by the Netanyahu government. Israel disputes these claims.
One Western diplomat has said the closure of the UK consulate in Jerusalem would be “inconceivable.” The diplomat speaking under anonymity stated: “We are all concerned because if this (closure of the consulate) goes ahead it would be an incredibly damaging precedent for the status of missions in Jerusalem, which are monitoring the status quo.”
They added: “It would be inconceivable for the British government to accept (the closure) because they don’t recognise the authority of the Israeli government over Jerusalem under international law. Particularly as Israel is taking this step over British measures which are simply applying international law.”
The development comes as the Tories have pledged to invest £10 billion in creating a new “iron dome” aimed at defending Britain and its overseas bases in the event of future attacks.
The so-called “Britannia Shield” would provide a network of radar, command and control systems to detect incoming threats along with interceptor missiles and counter-drone capabilities, the Conservatives said.
Britain’s Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband
Announcing the pledge on the third day of the party’s annual conference in Birmingham, Kemi Badenoch accused Labour of failing to keep the country safe and said the system would protect the whole of the UK, its sovereign territories and British bases overseas.
The Tory leader said: “The world will not wait for Britain to get ready. War has returned to Europe. Missiles and drones are transforming warfare in the Middle East.
“Cheap weapons can now threaten cities, military bases and critical infrastructure in ways that would have sounded like science fiction a generation ago.”
She added: “The threat is here. Britain must be ready. And Britannia Shield will help make sure we are.”
