Middle East live: Israel to close British consulate in Jerusalem after sanctions on settlements

British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband accused the Israeli government on Tuesday of turning a "blind eye" to what he called "ethnic cleansing" by settlers in the West Bank as the UK joined France and ten other countries in banning imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied territory. The decision comes amid rising violence over settlement expansion. Follow our liveblog for the latest.

British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband accused "settler terrorists" of "ethnic cleansing" in areas of the West Bank and said the UK was bringing in an "import ban on goods from illegal settlements." Israel closed Britain's consulate in East Jerusalem in response. Israel to close UK consulate in East Jerusalem over settlement trade ban Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Tuesday said that it was closing Britain's consulate in occupied East Jerusalem accredited to the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank after London announced it was imposing sanctions on goods from Israeli settlements. Saar also said Britain would no longer be able to allowed to participate in the US-led coordination mission for Gaza, that British training of Palestinian Authority forces in the West Bank would now be terminated, and that some elected UK officials and other nationals would be banned from entering Israel.