Britain's top national security official made a quiet, unannounced visit to Israel last week in a last-ditch attempt to stop the closure of the UK's consulate in East Jerusalem — and came home empty-handed, according to Reuters, which also reported that London is likely to respond to the closure by expelling a similar number of Israeli diplomats from its embassy in the United Kingdom. With Israel's 30-day deadline expiring on Thursday, the standoff is now on track to trigger the sharpest diplomatic rupture between the two once-steadfast allies in decades.
National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell — a former chief of staff to Tony Blair and a veteran of the Northern Ireland peace process — held talks with Israeli officials to prevent the closure, but no agreement was reached, three sources told Reuters. His government has never disclosed the visit. France and Canada joined Britain in the settlement-goods sanctions that triggered the crisis, but Israel has not taken action against either of them.
A 30-day ultimatum nearly exhausted
The crisis began on September 8, when Israel ordered Britain to close its consulate in East Jerusalem's Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood within 30 days and remove its diplomats from the city. The order was retaliation for London's announcement of a ban on trade in goods made in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank — the most sweeping such measure by a major Western ally.
The deadline, which ends on Thursday, will affect around 30 British diplomats and their families, the sources said. The consulate, which has operated in Jerusalem for almost 200 years — long before the State of Israel was established in 1948 — handles Britain's relations with Palestinians in the city, the West Bank and Gaza, and provides consular services to Palestinians.
Four sources told Reuters that if the consulate is closed, Britain is likely to expel a similar number of Israeli diplomats from Israel's embassy in London. The sources did not say how quickly Britain would act. Separately, The Times of Israel reported that Britain's ambassador to Israel, Simon Walters, had conveyed a warning that London would expel one Israeli diplomat for each British diplomat whose work at the consulate is terminated.
A new low in a strained relationship
The British foreign office did not respond to requests for comment; Israel's foreign ministry declined to comment. An Israeli official said only that any action against Israel would be met with a response.
The episode marks a new low between the two countries. Britain has repeatedly criticised Israel over the war in Gaza and over settler attacks on Palestinians, while Israel's government has accused Britain's governing Labour party of hostility toward Israel. After London announced the sanctions, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accused Britain of interfering in Israel's October general election.
The settlement-goods ban itself was announced alongside earlier British measures targeting Israeli settlements, part of a wider shift in European policy toward the occupation. The current dispute shows how quickly that shift has escalated into hard-edged diplomacy.
What happens next
Thursday is the decisive day. If Israel follows through on the closure order — and nothing in its public posture suggests it will back down — Britain would be expected to move on the expulsions, a retaliatory step that would be almost without precedent between the two countries. The British embassy in Israel declined to comment on the Times of Israel report, leaving London's exact trigger point ambiguous.
What is clear is that the quiet channel has failed. Powell's secret mission was the last chance for a negotiated off-ramp before the deadline, and its failure leaves both governments staring at an outcome neither publicly wants but neither is willing to avoid.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Israel order the British consulate in East Jerusalem closed?
Israel issued the 30-day closure order on September 8 in retaliation for Britain's announcement of a ban on trade in goods made in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. France and Canada imposed similar measures but have not faced action from Israel.
What does the East Jerusalem consulate do?
Operating in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood for nearly 200 years, the consulate handles Britain's relations with Palestinians in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza, and provides consular services to Palestinians. Around 30 British diplomats work there.
How would Britain respond to the closure?
Four sources told Reuters that London is likely to expel a similar number of Israeli diplomats from Israel's embassy in the United Kingdom — one for each British diplomat affected. The sources did not specify how quickly Britain would act.
What is the link to the earlier sanctions dispute?
The sanctions row escalated in October as Britain targeted settlement goods — a move that followed months of criticism of Israel's policies and led directly to Israel's closure order.
