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00:26Britain is threatening to kick out 27 Israeli diplomats from London and their families
00:33if Israel shuts down the British Consulate in East Jerusalem.
00:38The dramatic warning could trigger a major diplomatic crisis between two long-standing allies,
00:45with the October 8 closure deadline now just days away.
00:50According to reports first published by Israel's Ynet, British Ambassador Simon Walters conveyed the warning directly to Israeli officials.
01:00London could reportedly expel one Israeli diplomat for every British diplomat affected by the closure.
01:09The British Foreign Office has declined to comment on the reports, but has not publicly denied them.
01:15The dispute began after Britain announced new measures targeting Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
01:25British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced restrictions including a ban on imports of goods produced in settlements
01:33and measures targeting British companies involved in settlement construction.
01:38Israel responded with retaliatory measures.
01:43On September 8, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced that Israel would shut the British Consulate General in East Jerusalem
01:53and revoke the diplomatic credentials of its staff.
01:56Israel also ordered British representatives to leave the US-led Civil Military Coordination Center for Gaza and ended British training
02:07support for Palestinian Authority security forces.
02:11Israel additionally banned several British politicians and activists from entering the country.
02:17Now, the dispute has reached the heart of diplomatic relations.
02:22The British Consulate in East Jerusalem is separate from the UK Embassy in Tel Aviv.
02:29It serves as a major channel for British engagement with Palestinians across East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza.
02:37Britain maintains that East Jerusalem has a disputed status and that the Consulate plays a major diplomatic and consular role.
02:47Israel, however, has defended its decision to close the mission and has warned that it will respond to further British
02:55measures.
02:56Behind the scenes, London has reportedly made a last-minute attempt to stop the closure.
03:03British National Security Advisor Jonathan Powell traveled to Israel last week for talks with Israeli officials, but the effort reportedly
03:13failed to secure a reversal.
03:15The Consulate is currently scheduled to close on October 8.
03:20And if Israel goes ahead, Britain could retaliate by expelling 27 Israeli diplomats from its London embassy, potentially along with
03:30their families.
03:31That would severely disrupt Israel's diplomatic operation in Britain and mark a dramatic new low in already strained UK-Israel
03:42relations.
03:43For now, both sides remain locked in a diplomatic standoff, with October 8 emerging as the key deadline.
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