Israel ordered the closure of the British consulate in East Jerusalem as a retaliatory measure against the United Kingdom. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar announced this decision on Wednesday, a day after a dozen countries led by London announced trade restrictions with Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Sa'ar called these measures "scandalous" and indicated that Israel has taken a series of actions against the British.
The Israeli diplomat accompanies the announcement with warnings against other countries that adopt similar actions against the settlements. International tension around the settlement issue in occupied West Bank has been increasing, with multiple nations taking positions against Israeli colonization policy.
Violence in occupied West Bank continues to cause fatalities. In the last 24 hours, Israeli settlers and soldiers caused the death of four Palestinians in the occupied territory, at a time when the international community is intensifying pressure on Israel through diplomatic and commercial measures.