AssetID: 56078517
Headline: UNCAPTIONED: UK Makes Last-Ditch Effort To Stop Israel Closing East Jerusalem Consulate
Caption: UK Makes Last-Ditch Effort To Stop Israel Closing East Jerusalem Consulate. The UK government is making a last-ditch effort to persuade Israel not to close the British consulate in East Jerusalem later this week. Israel announced the closure in September in retaliation for UK sanctions targeting illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. The sanctions will ban goods from settlements and target companies and individuals providing services that support settlement expansion. The consulate, established in 1838, handles UK relations with Palestinians in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza and is due to close on Thursday. UK National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell travelled to Israel for talks last week but reportedly left without securing an agreement. Israeli media reported that Britain could expel up to 27 Israeli diplomats if the closure goes ahead, although the Foreign Office declined to comment on the discussions. UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has said Britain does not want the consulate to close, warning that it would damage important work with Palestinian communities. Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT
Keywords: Current Affairs & Politics,UK,Israel,East Jerusalem,British consulate,Ed Miliband,Jonathan Powell,Benjamin Netanyahu,West Bank,Israeli settlements,Gaza,British diplomacy,Israeli diplomats,sanctions,Palestinians
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