Britain 'threatens to expel dozens of Israeli diplomats from London embassy'

Sources familiar with the matter suggest British Ambassador to Israel Simon Walters shared the message directly.

The message is said to have warned London would expel one diplomat for every British envoy forced out of East Jerusalem, according to the Hebrew publication Ynet.

Senior British officials made clear the families of the expelled diplomats would also be required to leave, two sources also told the Jerusalem Post.

GB News has approached both the Israeli embassy and the Foreign Office for comment.

The consulate, which handles Britain's relations with Palestinians in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza, is scheduled to close on October 8.

Dozens of locally hired staff are reportedly already being let go, with British diplomatic personnel preparing to depart.

Britain has threatened to expel dozens of Israeli diplomats from the London embassy, reports say

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The apparent standoff stems from sweeping measures London introduced last month against Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

Measures included a ban on importing settlement-produced goods and sanctions targeting individuals and companies deemed to support or profit from settlement activity.

Britain regards the settlements as unlawful under international law, a position Israel rejects.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar responded with a package of countermeasures, including an order for the East Jerusalem consulate to be shut within 30 days.

The move is apparently in response to the closure of the British consulate in Jerusalem

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Mr Sa'ar expelled British representatives from the international aid coordination centre for Gaza based in Kiryat Gat and terminated British participation in training Palestinian Authority security forces.

Israel also barred 12 British lawmakers, including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Diane Abbott, from entering the country.

The role of Israeli ambassador to the UK is currently vacant, after mission head Tzipi Hotovely departed London in September 2025.

Today’s apparent escalations come amid sharpening rhetoric from British politicians over Israel.

The UK and Israel have been at loggerheads since Ed Miliband announced sanctions on West Bank settlers

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Announcing the sanctions against Israeli settlers, Mr Miliband said “ethnic cleansing” had taken place in the West Bank.

Speaking at the Labour Party conference, the Foreign Secretary told pro-Palestine protesters: “We hear you; you were right”.

When addressing the United Nations, Andy Burnham condemned the actions of Hamas but added: “This does not justify the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza or the West Bank.

“Far too many people have died, including so many children. Far too little aid is getting in. It has gone on for far too long,” the Prime Minister said.