Israel orders closure of British consulate in East Jerusalem

Israel has notified the British consulate in occupied East Jerusalem that it must close within 30 days, Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported Wednesday.

The move came shortly after British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced a ban on imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, along with sanctions targeting companies and individuals involved in settlement expansion.

According to KAN, Israel gave the consulate 30 days to shut down, after which British diplomats stationed there will lose their accreditation.

Earlier Tuesday, Miliband announced in the House of Commons a ban on imports from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, sanctions on companies and individuals facilitating settlement expansion, and additional sanctions on extremist Israeli occupiers accused of supporting or inciting violence against Palestinians.

He also said the UK would reject new arms export licenses for items that materially contribute to the occupation while maintaining the suspension of 30 existing licenses.

Miliband said the British government agrees that there is "ethnic cleansing of Palestinians" in the occupied West Bank perpetrated by Israeli "settler terrorists."