Why are Israel, Britain at odds?

What the report says

Israel has announced retaliatory steps against Britain after London and several allied countries moved to restrict trade tied to Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. According to Xinhua, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said on Tuesday that Israel would close the British Consulate in Jerusalem, remove British representatives from a U.S.-led Gaza support center, and bar 12 British officials from entering the country.

The Independent Uganda reported that Britain’s foreign secretary, David Miliband, said the new policy would ban imports of goods from Israeli settlements and limit some services supplied by British companies to them. The same day, Britain, France, Canada and nine other countries issued a joint statement calling for a halt to settlement expansion, accountability for violent settlers and action on allegations involving Israeli forces. The statement said expanding settlements, including the E1 project area near East Jerusalem and Ma’ale Adumim, was threatening the chances of a two-state solution.

The article said tensions between Israel and Britain have deepened since the Gaza war began in October 2023, with disputes also growing over settlement policy and Palestinian statehood. It noted that Britain, along with other Western partners, has already sanctioned Israeli ministers and later recognized the State of Palestine, moves Israel has viewed as hostile. The latest clash matters because it could further strain long-standing diplomatic, trade and security ties, even if the new trade restrictions are aimed mainly at settlement-linked activity rather than Israel’s wider economy.