UK reportedly threatens diplomatic expulsions over closure of East Jerusalem consulate
publishers 19articles 20first reported 5 Oct, 17:53 UTCdeveloping since 6 Oct · 8 editions
The UK has threatened to expel Israeli diplomats in response to Israel’s planned closure of the British Consulate General in East Jerusalem, according to reports.
The Guardian reported that Britain warned it could expel one Israeli diplomat for each British diplomat forced to leave, potentially affecting as many as 27 Israeli officials. Middle East Eye described the warning as the possible expulsion of 27 diplomats unless Israel reverses the closure. The UK Foreign Office declined to comment on what it called speculation.
Israel’s foreign ministry has said the consulate will close on Thursday and its staff will lose their diplomatic credentials. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced the move after Britain decided to ban trade in goods from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and sanction British firms that aid, support or facilitate further settlement construction. Sa’ar called the British measures “morally distorted” and accused the governing Labour Party of hostility toward Israel.
The consulate, separate from the British Embassy in Tel Aviv, handles diplomatic relations concerning East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza. UK national security adviser Jonathan Powell travelled to Jerusalem last week in an unsuccessful attempt to persuade Israel to reverse or postpone the closure, The Guardian reported.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 2 articles, 2 with the publisher's own text; 2 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 12 h after the record first saw the story; the editor revised it.
- Publishers
- 19
- Source articles
- 20
- Given to the writer
- 2, 2 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 2
- This version written
- 12 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- revised
- Publication gate
- passed
- Human review
- none
WHAT THE EDITOR DID
The second model checked the writer's draft against the same sources and changed it before publication. Struck words were in the draft; underlined words are its corrections.
WHAT IT FLAGGED editor revise: The story needs narrow sourcing language and one sanctions detail corrected to match the sources. - "according to reports citing the Israeli newspaper Ynet": The sourcing in the provided material says Middle East Eye cites Ynet and The Guardian says the threat was first reported by Ynet, but the story's phrasing suggests multiple reports cite Ynet for the whole claim. - "sanction British companies that support or facilitate further settlement construction": The sources say the UK imposed sanctions on British firms that aid, support or facilitate further settlement construction, not British companies generally that support or facilitate it.
THE DRAFT AND THE CHANGES
UK reportedly threatens diplomatic expulsions over closure of East Jerusalem consulate
The UK has threatened to expel Israeli diplomats in response to Israel’s planned closure of the British Consulate General in East Jerusalem, according to reports citing the Israeli newspaper Ynet.reports.
The Guardian reported that Britain warned it could expel one Israeli diplomat for each British diplomat forced to leave, potentially affecting as many as 27 Israeli officials. Middle East Eye described the warning as the possible expulsion of 27 diplomats unless Israel reverses the closure. The UK Foreign Office declined to comment on what it called speculation.
Israel’s foreign ministry has said the consulate will close on Thursday and its staff will lose their diplomatic credentials. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced the move after Britain decided to ban trade in goods from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and sanction British companiesfirms that aid, support or facilitate further settlement construction. Sa’ar called the British measures “morally distorted” and accused the governing Labour Party of hostility toward Israel.
The consulate, separate from the British Embassy in Tel Aviv, handles diplomatic relations concerning East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza. UK national security adviser Jonathan Powell travelled to Jerusalem last week in an unsuccessful attempt to persuade Israel to reverse or postpone the closure, The Guardian reported.
Written by a language model from the sources above, then checked by a second model that may only cut, attribute or correct. How it works →