Israel is considering expelling British officials from the multinational post-war Gaza coordination center in Kiryat Gat, joining prior removals of Dutch and Spanish representatives amid a deepening diplomatic rift over West Bank settlement policies, trade restrictions, and European criticism of Israeli government plans.
The Israeli government has discussed removing the United Kingdom from the International Gaza Support Center, a facility established in southern Israel to oversee ceasefire monitoring and humanitarian aid delivery. Officials familiar with the matter confirmed the deliberations, noting that a potential ouster of British personnel stems directly from Britain’s hardening stance toward Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies in the Palestinian territories.
Discussions regarding the British delegation follow similar punitive actions taken against other European nations. The diplomatic friction highlights a widening gulf between Israel and its long-standing Western allies over West Bank settlement expansion and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Expulsion of Dutch Representatives Over Settlement Trade Bans
The deliberations regarding British personnel follow an immediate enforcement action against the Netherlands. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar ordered the immediate expulsion of Dutch representatives from the Kiryat Gat facility following a recommendation from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The action served as a direct response to a Dutch law set to take effect next month that bans trade in Israeli products originating from the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights. Giving Dutch personnel one week to depart the country, Sa’ar issued a blunt warning regarding European economic measures.
“Our message is clear: Those who act against Israel will have no foothold in the region. Israel will not allow measures to be taken against it without a response.”
Gideon Sa’ar, Israeli Foreign Minister
Earlier this year, Israel also expelled Spanish representatives from the coordination center, citing what Sa’ar termed an obsessive bias against the country. With the Netherlands and Spain already targeted, individuals familiar with the diplomatic talks told the Financial Times that some form of retaliation against Britain had been anticipated.
Clash Over the E-1 Settlement Plan and British Trade Restrictions
Friction between London and Jerusalem has intensified sharply in recent weeks over housing tenders and trade policy. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has faced pressure from more than 140 U.K. lawmakers to proceed with a complete trade ban on goods originating from West Bank settlements.
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband issued a written statement criticizing Israel’s controversial E-1 settlement expansion plan near Jerusalem. Miliband called the project unacceptable and destructive
and announced that his office was preparing a comprehensive set of measures, including sanctions against individuals participating in settlement expansion.
The E-1 project has drawn broad international condemnation. Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Norway, and the European Commission issued a joint statement demanding that Israel retract plans to advance construction tenders for 1,234 housing units in the area, warning that the development would sever territorial contiguity between parts of the West Bank and undermine the two-state solution.
Foreign Minister Sa’ar hit back at the British foreign secretary, describing the statement as patronizing and accusing the U.K. government of contributing to a wave of antisemitism against the British Jewish community.
Uncertain Authority and the Post-War Coordination Mandate
The multinational headquarters in Kiryat Gat operates under the patronage of Washington, including military and diplomatic personnel from roughly 50 countries and international organizations to monitor the U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that took effect in October. Britain maintains the second-largest delegation at the facility after the United States, with a British officer serving as deputy to the American commanding general.
It remains legally ambiguous whether Israel possesses the unilateral authority to remove representatives from the international coalition. Sources familiar with the discussions offered conflicting interpretations to reporters regarding formal oversight.
While two individuals indicated that any removal of additional national delegations might require approval from the U.S.-led Board of Peace established by President Donald Trump to oversee post-war Gaza, another source insisted that Israel retains complete sovereign authority over foreign representatives operating inside its borders. A spokesperson for the Board of Peace confirmed ongoing engagement with Israel to maintain multinational coordination, while the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office declined to comment on the potential expulsions.
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