Jerusalem deputy mayor pushes to rename King George street after UK sanctions on settlements

Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Aryeh King has formally requested that King George Street be renamed "Tabur Haaretz" in response to the UK's planned sanctions on settlements. The request, submitted to Mayor Moshe Lion, directly links the symbolic move to the worsening of British policy toward Israel. The UK measures include a future ban on settlement imports and targeted sanctions, though implementation is not expected before the Israeli elections. King argues the name was established under British Mandate rule and cites precedents in Haifa and Beersheba where the king's name was removed.

Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Aryeh King has formally requested that King George Street, one of the capital's main thoroughfares, be renamed "Tabur Haaretz" ("Navel of the Land") in direct response to the UK's planned sanctions on settlements. King submitted the request Wednesday morning to Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion, who also chairs the street naming committee. The move comes a day after the British government announced its intention to advance a series of measures against settlements in the West Bank, including a future ban on imports of settlement goods and new legislation granting ministers authority to impose targeted sanctions on organizations, companies, and individuals involved in settlement activity. The measures are not expected to take effect before the Israeli elections due to legal and regulatory procedures. King argues that the name King George was established under British Mandate rule and that neither an Israeli government nor a Jewish municipality decided to commemorate the king after the state's establishment. He points to precedents in Haifa and Beersheba where the king's name was removed. The article also reports that the Diaspora Affairs Ministry recommended preventing entry into Israel of employees and activists from 11 British organizations promoting boycotts and sanctions.