Britain has reportedly warned Israel that it will expel 27 Israeli diplomats from London if Israel proceeds with closing the British Consulate in eastern Yerushalayim on Thursday.

The threatened expulsions would match the number of British diplomatic personnel affected by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar’s order to close the consulate and revoke their diplomatic credentials. The employees were given 30 days’ notice to leave Israel.

Israel announced the measures in response to Britain’s decision last month to impose economic sanctions targeting Jewish communities in Yehuda and Shomron.

Sa’ar also ordered the removal of British representatives from the Gaza aid coordination center, an end to British training of Palestinian Authority forces, and an entry ban on 12 British anti-Israel activists.

British officials initially sought to persuade Israel to reverse the decision through discussions involving Ambassador Simon Walters. London has now reportedly delivered an explicit warning that it will respond by expelling one Israeli diplomat for every British diplomat affected.

Such a move would severely impair the Israeli Embassy’s operations, as its diplomatic staff reportedly numbers only slightly more than 27.

The embassy has been without a permanent ambassador since Tzipi Hotovely returned to Israel in September 2025. It is currently headed by chargé d’affaires Chris Cantor.

The British Embassy declined to comment on the report.

The dispute comes amid broader deterioration in relations between the two countries. British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband received applause at last week’s Labour Party conference after accusing Israel of war crimes and defending restrictions on trade with Jewish communities in Yehuda and Shomron.

Separately, Britain’s Green Party conference approved a motion defining Zionism as a racist ideology and calling for the establishment of a single Palestinian state.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)