Israel prepares a new 'surprise' for Britain
Israel and Britain are on the brink of a diplomatic crisis over construction in the E1 area. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar threatened to close the British consulate in East Jerusalem in response to London's restrictions on settlements. The dispute arose from disagreements over a phone call between Sa'ar and his British counterpart Ed Miliband.
Israel and Britain have found themselves on the brink of a diplomatic crisis due to disagreements over construction in the E1 area, located between Jerusalem and Ma'ale Adumim. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar threatened to close the British consulate in East Jerusalem in response to restrictions announced by London on Israeli settlements. The escalation was triggered by a phone call between Sa'ar and his British counterpart Ed Miliband last month. The sides interpreted the agreements reached differently. According to the British version, Sa'ar promised to refrain from announcing new construction tenders in the E1 area until the elections in Israel. However, a week later, the Israeli government announced tenders for the construction of approximately 1,200 housing units. Israel's Foreign Ministry rejected claims of a breach of agreements, explaining that Sa'ar only promised no changes on the ground, not a freeze on administrative procedures. The disagreements escalated into an open conflict after Miliband's speech in the British Parliament, where he announced a ban on trade with Israeli settlements and accused settlers of ethnic cleansing. Sa'ar stated that the country would not give up its territories under pressure from jihadists, Islamists, anti-Semites, and the far left. Opposition leader Yair Lapid also condemned London's decision, characterizing it as a cynical attack driven by domestic political considerations.