耶路撒冷，10月8日——由于英国计划对约旦河西岸的以色列定居点实施制裁，以色列要求英国在周四前关闭其驻东耶路撒冷领事馆。在此背景下，工作人员连夜拆除了领事馆内的标识牌与铭牌，此举进一步加剧了这两个盟友之间的关系紧张状况。
JERUSALEM, Oct 8 - Workers removed signs and plaques at the British consulate in East Jerusalem overnight after Israel ordered it shut by Thursday over London's plans to impose sanctions on settlements in the West Bank, further damaging strained ties between allies.
路透社记者看到，工作人员拆除了刻有“英国总领事馆”字样的铭牌以及领事处的其他标识。目前英国国旗仍飘扬在领事馆大楼上空，但领事馆方面暂未发表任何评论。
Reuters journalists saw workers in the consulate remove a plaque reading "British Consulate General" and another sign for its consular section. The British flag was still flying over the building. There was no immediate comment from the consulate.
此前，英国宣布对以色列在约旦河西岸的定居点实施制裁，包括禁止进口这些地区生产的产品。为此，以色列于上月下令要求英国在30天内关闭该领事馆并撤走所有外交人员。
Israel last month ordered Britain to close the consulate within 30 days and remove its diplomats from the city, after Britain announced sanctions targeting Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including a trade ban on goods made there.
联合国及多数国家均认为，根据国际法，以色列在约旦河西岸建立的定居点属于非法行为；以色列则对此予以否认。
The United Nations and most countries consider the settlements to be illegal under international law. Israel disputes this.
尽管英国曾试图保留该领事馆，甚至上周派遣国家安全事务高级顾问赴以进行磋商，但以色列仍坚持要求其关闭。
Israel has been adamant the consulate will close even as Britain sought to keep it open, including sending the country's top national security adviser to Israel last week for talks.
英国在耶路撒冷设立领事馆的历史可追溯至近200年前，远早于1948年以色列建国。此次关闭令并不影响英国驻特拉维夫大使馆的正常运作，后者仍负责与以色列政府的外交事务。
Britain's presence in the city dates back almost 200 years, long before the State of Israel was established in 1948. The closure order does not affect Britain's embassy in Tel Aviv, which handles diplomatic relations with Israel's government.
该领事馆位于东耶路撒冷的谢赫贾拉区，负责处理英国与耶路撒冷、约旦河西岸及加沙地带巴勒斯坦人的相关事务，同时也为当地巴勒斯坦人提供领事服务。
The consulate, in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of East Jerusalem, handles Britain's relations with Palestinians in Jerusalem, as well as in the West Bank and Gaza. It also provides consular services to Palestinians.
周三，英国外交部在被问及该领事馆是否仍在运作、是否有英国外交人员已返回英国时拒绝置评。
Britain's Foreign Office on Wednesday declined to comment when asked whether the consulate was still operating or any British diplomats working there had returned to the UK.
据消息人士透露，此次关闭令将影响到约30名英国外交人员及其家属。
Sources have said the order to close the consulate affects around 30 British diplomats along with their family members.
据路透社周二援引消息人士报道，英国正考虑驱逐以色列驻英国大使馆的外交官，以回应以色列关闭领事馆的任何举措。
Britain is considering expelling Israeli diplomats from Israel's embassy in the United Kingdom in response to any closure of the consulate, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing sources.
对于盟友而言，相互驱逐外交官是极为罕见的举动。尽管当前关系紧张，英国和以色列仍是密切的经济、安全和情报合作伙伴。
It would be a highly unusual step for the allies to expel each other's diplomats. Despite the current strains, the UK and Israel are close economic, security and intelligence partners.
英国的制裁公告以及以色列关闭领事馆的命令，标志着过去三年来持续恶化的双边关系跌至新低点。英国多次批评以色列在加沙战争中的行动，以及以色列定居者对西岸巴勒斯坦人的袭击。
The British sanctions announcement, and Israel's order to close the consulate, mark a new low in a relationship that has deteriorated over the past three years. Britain has repeatedly criticised Israel over its actions in the war in Gaza and over Israeli settler attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank.
本雅明·内塔尼亚胡政府指责英国执政的工党对以色列持敌对态度。
Benjamin Netanyahu's government has accused Britain's governing Labour Party of being hostile towards Israel.