Israel’s Finance Minister Calls for Expulsion of UK Ambassador as Sanctions Are Announced
Tensions between Israel and the United Kingdom escalated on September 8, 2026, after Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for the expulsion of the British ambassador to Israel, Simon Walters, following new British sanctions linked to Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
What triggered the dispute?
- 🇬🇧 The UK announced measures targeting goods from Israeli settlements in the West Bank, along with sanctions against individuals and entities associated with settlement expansion.
- 🇮🇱 Smotrich strongly condemned the measures, accusing the British government of hostility toward Israel and calling for the ambassador to be expelled.
- Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also called for retaliatory measures against Britain.
Israel’s response
Israel subsequently announced several measures against the UK, including plans to close the British consulate in East Jerusalem, remove British representatives from a Gaza-related coordination center, and suspend certain British training programs involving Palestinian Authority forces.
Why does it matter?
The dispute reflects a growing diplomatic rift between London and Tel Aviv over Israeli settlement policy in the West Bank, with Britain arguing that settlement expansion undermines the possibility of a two-state solution.
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