Israel
demanded closure of the UK consulate in East Jerusalem after Britain sanctioned
goods from West Bank settlements, with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announcing
the move last month. British officials warned that shutting the consulate,
which serves Palestinians in the area, would lead to matching expulsions of
Israeli embassy staff in London, per Israeli media reports.
Talks failed to resolve the dispute, raising fears of damage to security ties, even as the UK eyes Israel's Iron Dome for its own defenses, with the deadline looming before Israel's October 27 election.