Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar warned on Thursday that countries taking hostile or one-sided measures against Israel would face a response and risk losing their influence in the region.
Speaking at The Jerusalem Post’s annual diplomatic conference at the Friends of Zion Museum in Jerusalem, Sa’ar pointed to Israel’s downgrading of the British Consulate General in Jerusalem and the departure of 20 British diplomats following a series of measures taken by the United Kingdom’s government.
“The time of containment against those who take hostile steps against Israel is over,” Sa’ar said. “Since it took office, the Labour government in Britain has taken a long list of hostile steps toward Israel, the latest being sanctions against Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria and further restrictions on defense exports to Israel.”
Sa’ar said that all the countermeasures he announced on Sept. 8 had now been implemented.
“The lesson is very clear,” he said. “First, every country that takes hostile action against Israel must understand that Israel will respond. Second, any country that pursues a one-sided and unbalanced policy against Israel will lose its influence and relevance in our region, including in Judea and Samaria, Gaza and Jerusalem.”
The British Consulate General in Jerusalem ended its operations on Thursday, with the consul general and 20 diplomats ending their assignments and leaving Israel. Seven diplomats have been permitted to remain with a limited mandate at what London is calling the U.K. Mission, Jerusalem.
Israel’s response has extended beyond the diplomatic mission. Sa’ar said Jerusalem had also removed British representatives from the International Gaza Support Center in Kiryat Gat, ended British training activities for Palestinian Authority security forces in Judea and Samaria and barred 12 British elected officials from entering Israel.
“We help the Brits: security, intelligence, a lot of issues. They know it,” Sa’ar said. “I think they are making a mistake in their approach.
“We did not want to reach this point. We did not choose this path,” he said. “It was the Labour government that chose it, and we were left with no choice but to respond.”
He added, “Any country considering following the same path must understand that Israel will respond accordingly.”
More embassies in Jerusalem
Sa’ar also announced that Colombia will open its embassy in Jerusalem next week.
“When I started as foreign minister, there were five embassies in Jerusalem,” Sa’ar said. “Next week, we will open the 10th embassy in Jerusalem, the Embassy of Colombia. And we have already reached an agreement with the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the 11th embassy.
“This is the diplomatic story. But the real story is the truth,” he continued. “The truth is that Jerusalem is the capital of the Jewish people and the State of Israel.”
“Jerusalem is gaining friends!” Sa’ar later wrote on X, noting that the number of foreign embassies in the capital had doubled since he took office.
‘The city of the future’
Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion focused on the transformation of the Israeli capital, telling participants that Jerusalem should be viewed not only as an ancient city but as “the city of the future.”
“Development is not only about building,” Lion said. “We are building and developing for everyone, Jews and Arabs, in the east of the city and the west of the city. For us, it is about people.”
He said expanding opportunity across Jerusalem’s diverse communities was central to the municipality’s vision for the capital.
“Every child in Jerusalem deserves opportunity,” Lion said. “Today, a child in Jerusalem, Arab or Jewish, Christian or Muslim, religious or secular, has more opportunities than ever before.”
‘Serious about fighting’ antisemitism
European Union Ambassador to Israel Michael Mann addressed some of the most contentious issues between Israel and Europe.
Mann reiterated the E.U. position that Judea and Samaria are occupied territory and that Israeli construction there is contrary to international law. He also said there remained significant concern in Europe over difficulties in getting humanitarian supplies into the Gaza Strip.
At the same time, Mann stressed the E.U.’s commitment to confronting the surge in antisemitism across the continent.
“The European Union is serious about fighting this,” he said. “We have a dedicated team in Brussels that works 24/7 on fighting antisemitism. We have a 10-year strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life.”
Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, warned that the Hamas massacre on Oct. 7, 2023, had fundamentally changed the environment facing Jews worldwide.
“There was a world before the Hamas attack and a different world since,” Greenblatt said. “We need to recognize the challenges in front of us. There is no time for vacillating or for fighting among ourselves. We are in an existential fight and it matters more than ever.”
Greenblatt highlighted the emerging challenge posed by artificial intelligence. He said the ADL is working with AI companies to evaluate large language models through its ADL AI Index and related research, measuring how well AI systems detect, counter or perpetuate antisemitic, anti-Zionist and extremist tropes.
The conference brought together foreign diplomats, Israeli officials, Jewish leaders and other prominent figures to discuss Israel’s diplomatic and security challenges, the rise in global antisemitism and the country’s relations with the international community.
