Israel is considering expelling British officials from the US-led headquarters overseeing the Gaza ceasefire in retaliation for mounting UK criticism of the country’s illegal settlement expansion and policies in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, according to the Financial Times.
The move could also target representatives from Germany and Italy and would deepen an increasingly bitter diplomatic rift between Israel and some of its traditional European allies. Israel has already expelled Spanish and Dutch officials from the International Gaza Support Center (IGSC) over their governments’ positions towards Israel.
The IGSC, formerly known as the Civil-Military Coordination Center, operates from Kiryat Gat in southern Israel. Led by US military officers, it brings together Israeli forces with military and diplomatic representatives from around 50 countries and international organisations to monitor the ceasefire in Gaza, humanitarian aid and other developments in the besieged enclave.
Read: UK weighs raft of measures against Israel as pressure grows for action to match rhetoric
Multiple sources familiar with discussions reported that Israeli officials have considered removing the UK from the centre in recent weeks as UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham seeks measures to sanction Israeli settlements.
