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Britain's sanctions on West Bank settlements have triggered a diplomatic crisis with Israel, with the UK foreign secretary accusing settlers of 'ethnic cleansing' of Palestinians and Israel responding by shutting the UK consulate in East Jerusalem. Israel has since formally told Britain it does not recognize the sanctions and has escalated diplomatic retaliation. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has publicly defended the ban on trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, pushing back against Israeli criticism and signaling that London intends to maintain its position despite the deepening rift with Israel.