In Israel, Jerusalem deputy mayor calls for cutting services to British consulate
Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Aryeh King called on the Israeli government to immediately stop supplying water, electricity, telephone services and internet to the British consulate in Jerusalem. He made the demand on September 14 during a small protest near the consulate building in the eastern part of the city, The Jerusalem Post reports.
King questioned why the British mission uses services provided by Israeli entities if the UK government considers the territory occupied by Israel. According to him, the consulate receives water from the Hagihon company, while telephone services and internet are provided by Bezeq. He also said that part of the road near the diplomatic institution had been closed for security reasons with the approval of the Jerusalem Municipality.
Response to British restrictions
King's call came less than a month before the deadline set by Israel for the closure of the British consulate. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar ordered the mission closed after the United Kingdom announced measures against Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including a planned ban on importing settlement products into Britain.
UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said last week that these measures were intended to preserve the possibility of implementing a two-state solution and counter settlement expansion and settler violence. He announced plans to take measures against individual companies and persons providing services for settlement expansion, including in construction, infrastructure, financing or real estate.
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Positions of the parties
On the same day, the United Kingdom issued a joint statement with Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. In it, the countries said they intend to introduce national restrictions, support European restrictions on trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank, or are considering such steps.
Saar accused the United Kingdom of hostility toward Israel and said its measures were moving away the prospect of a negotiated settlement. Among other response measures, Israel announced the expulsion of British representatives from the Civil-Military Coordination Center in Kiryat Gat and the termination of British training for Palestinian Authority security forces.
King stressed that his statements were addressed to the UK Labour government, not to British people. He also rejected distinctions between Jewish communities in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and cities within the pre-1967 lines.
