Jerusalem, 8 September, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced countermeasures against the UK after London imposed sanctions on Israeli towns in Judea and Samaria, with France and Canada announcing similar measures. The steps include closing Britain’s consulate in eastern Jerusalem and expelling British representatives from a civil-military coordination center in southern Israel.
The UK said the sanctions responded to Israel’s E1 settlement project near Jerusalem, which British officials said threatens the viability of a future Palestinian state. Sa’ar called the accusations false and accused Britain of interfering in Israel’s upcoming election.
Sa’ar said Israel holds “nothing against the British people” but accused the Labor government of sustained hostility. Other Israeli officials called for expelling the UK ambassador entirely.
Reaffirming Israel’s position, Sa’ar stressed the historic and legal connection of the Jewish people to the land, referencing the foundational precedent set over a century ago by the 1917 Balfour Declaration.