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Britain's foreign secretary announced sanctions on Israeli West Bank settlements, accusing settlers of carrying out what he called the 'ethnic cleansing' of Palestinians. Israel reacted furiously, shutting the UK consulate in East Jerusalem, and officials said Britain had effectively joined Dublin and Madrid in taking a harder line against Jerusalem. Analysts note the diplomatic rift between London and Israel is widening, with commentary suggesting the UK move, while largely symbolic, is unlikely to revive momentum toward a two-state solution. An opinion piece in Israeli media argued that Netanyahu's government brought the sanctions on itself by failing to rein in settler violence or repair relations with Western capitals, allowing London to follow the path already taken by Ireland and Spain. The episode has intensified debate within Israel over whether the government's policies in the West Bank are damaging its standing with traditional allies.