UK representatives at international Gaza coordination center reportedly given a week to leave Israel

British representatives from the international Gaza coordination center in Israel’s southern city of Kiryat Gat were informed they have seven days to leave the country, according to Channel 12 news, as part of the diplomatic response to the United Kingdom’s new ban on all dealings with West Bank settlements.

The network says the British consulate in Jerusalem will have to cease operations within 30 days, while UK diplomats based in Ramallah were also given a week to leave the country.

The TV report came as UK Andy Burnham issued his first public statement on the moves against Israeli settlements, which were announced by Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, saying on X that “it is more important than ever that Britain stands for something.”

“We have called for years for a two-state solution in the Middle East, but we must recognize that those words are meaningless unless we back them up with action,” he writes. “For too long, we have been hesitant to act, fearful of being accused of being anti-Israel.”

Burnham asserts the “carefully judged, targeted steps that are not aimed at the Israeli people, but at the unacceptable policies of the current Israeli government,” while adding that he “will not stand by as the horrific suffering continues to grow and the prospect of a two-state solution — the best hope for peace and stability in the region — comes under attack.”

In a difficult and dangerous world, a decade on from Brexit, there is a risk that Britain loses the confidence to lead and stand up for its values.

I’m not prepared to let that happen. It is more important than ever that Britain stands for something.

We have called for years…

— Andy Burnham (@andyburnham) September 8, 2026