Britain is likely to expel Israeli diplomats if Israel carries out its order to shut the British consulate in East Jerusalem this week in a dispute over sanctions targeting Israeli settlements, four sources said, Reuters reports.
Israel on September 8 ordered Britain to close the East Jerusalem consulate within 30 days and remove its diplomats from the city, after Britain said it would impose a ban on trade of goods made in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
The 30-day deadline for Britain to close the consulate ends on Thursday, which will impact around 30 British diplomats who work there, along with their family members, the sources said.
If the consulate is closed, Britain is likely to respond by expelling a similar number of Israeli diplomats from Israel's embassy to the United Kingdom, the sources said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
The sources did not say how quickly Britain would act if the consulate closes. After Britain announced the sanctions, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accused London of interfering in this month's Israeli general election.
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