A senior Israeli diplomatic official on Thursday firmly denied a report by the Financial Times alleging that Israel is weighing the expulsion of German and Italian representatives from the International Gaza Support Center in Kiryat Gat. “There is zero intention to take action against friendly nations such as Germany and Italy. This is fake news,” the official stated unequivocally.
2+The official denial followed claims in the British newspaper suggesting the Israeli government is examining the expulsion of British personnel and potentially other European delegates in retaliation for increasing diplomatic pressure and punitive actions against Israel. According to the report, discussions allegedly touched upon reciprocal diplomatic measures against Berlin and Rome—a premise Jerusalem has now thoroughly rejected.
The coordination center in Kiryat Gat—formerly known as the Civil-Military Coordination Center and currently operating as the International Gaza Support Center—was established to monitor ceasefire protocols and oversee international aid logistics connected to the Gaza Strip. The facility operates under U.S. leadership in direct partnership with the IDF, hosting military personnel and diplomats from approximately 50 countries and international bodies.
2+While dismissing reports regarding Italy and Germany, Israel has already enacted firm diplomatic countermeasures against European nations actively promoting hostile policies. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced earlier this week the expulsion of Dutch representatives from the Kiryat Gat center following the Netherlands’ decision to ban imports of Israeli goods produced in Judea and Samaria, eastern Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights. Earlier this year, Spanish representatives were similarly expelled over what Jerusalem termed Madrid’s “obsessive anti-Israel bias.” Sa’ar warned at the time that “Israel will not permit actions to be taken against it without a direct response.”
2+Concurrently, diplomatic friction with London has worsened amid threats by the UK government to restrict trade from Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria and its ongoing opposition to community expansion. Britain, Germany, and Italy were among nearly 20 countries and the European Commission that signed a joint letter opposing Israeli construction tenders in the strategic E1 corridor adjacent to Jerusalem. Following sharp criticism from British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, Sa’ar fired back, stating that Britain has no standing to “preach to the Jewish people where they are permitted to live in their historic homeland.”
Addressing speculation regarding governance over the facility, diplomatic officials reiterated that Israel maintains full sovereign authority over all personnel operating within its borders, dismissing claims that decisions regarding international delegates require external approval from the U.S.-led Board of Peace. Israeli and Italian sources reaffirmed that bilateral ties between Jerusalem, Rome, and Berlin remain strong, setting them apart from European governments pursuing punitive economic measures against the Jewish state.