UK Embassy in Tel Aviv Embroiled in Scandal Over HR Employee's Ties to Illegal Settlement
The British embassy in Tel Aviv has found itself at the centre of a controversy over its decision to employ an Israeli citizen who owns a home in an illegal settlement in occupied Palestine. Gila Ben-Yakov Phillips, the embassy's deputy head of corporate services and HR, purchased a house in the Kerem Reim settlement in 2022 and listed it as her home address on financial documents. The settlement has been built by Amana, a construction company hit with sanctions for supporting violence against Palestinians.
Ben-Yakov Phillips's status as a property owner in Kerem Reim raises serious questions about security vetting and the UK embassy's legal responsibilities under UK sanctions law. Foreign citizens working at embassies abroad must comply with UK sanctions law to get security clearances, but Ben-Yakov Phillips is not subject to sanctions laws as she is not a British citizen.
The UK government's sanctions advice page notes that due diligence includes examining an organisation's ownership structure or an individual's circle of contacts. The embassy itself may also be in breach of sanctions law if Ben-Yakov Phillips's salary contributes to payment of Amana's fees in Kerem Reim, according to expert Sara Segneri.
The settlement is a selective community where prospective residents have to be vetted by a committee for compatibility before they are allowed to move in. In the last election in 2022, more than 85% of voters from Kerem Reim backed the far-right party of Israel's finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, who is himself under UK sanctions.
The embassy should have been alert to the reputational, legal and policy risks of giving a senior role to someone who chose to move to an Amana settlement. The settlement is built on land that the international community expects to form part of a future Palestinian state, which the UK recognised this year.
Critics argue that the embassy's decision may be seen as complicit in any violation of the law, particularly given the settlement's connection to violent extremism. Palestinian citizens of Israel employed by the embassy would likely feel uncomfortable taking HR issues to a manager whose home was built by a company under UK sanctions for supporting violent extremism.
The Foreign Office has refused to comment on a potential breach of sanctions, international law and its due diligence with respect to employee activities. Ben-Yakov Phillips was also contacted for comment but declined to speak to the Guardian.
The British embassy in Tel Aviv has found itself at the centre of a controversy over its decision to employ an Israeli citizen who owns a home in an illegal settlement in occupied Palestine. Gila Ben-Yakov Phillips, the embassy's deputy head of corporate services and HR, purchased a house in the Kerem Reim settlement in 2022 and listed it as her home address on financial documents. The settlement has been built by Amana, a construction company hit with sanctions for supporting violence against Palestinians.
Ben-Yakov Phillips's status as a property owner in Kerem Reim raises serious questions about security vetting and the UK embassy's legal responsibilities under UK sanctions law. Foreign citizens working at embassies abroad must comply with UK sanctions law to get security clearances, but Ben-Yakov Phillips is not subject to sanctions laws as she is not a British citizen.
The UK government's sanctions advice page notes that due diligence includes examining an organisation's ownership structure or an individual's circle of contacts. The embassy itself may also be in breach of sanctions law if Ben-Yakov Phillips's salary contributes to payment of Amana's fees in Kerem Reim, according to expert Sara Segneri.
The settlement is a selective community where prospective residents have to be vetted by a committee for compatibility before they are allowed to move in. In the last election in 2022, more than 85% of voters from Kerem Reim backed the far-right party of Israel's finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, who is himself under UK sanctions.
The embassy should have been alert to the reputational, legal and policy risks of giving a senior role to someone who chose to move to an Amana settlement. The settlement is built on land that the international community expects to form part of a future Palestinian state, which the UK recognised this year.
Critics argue that the embassy's decision may be seen as complicit in any violation of the law, particularly given the settlement's connection to violent extremism. Palestinian citizens of Israel employed by the embassy would likely feel uncomfortable taking HR issues to a manager whose home was built by a company under UK sanctions for supporting violent extremism.
The Foreign Office has refused to comment on a potential breach of sanctions, international law and its due diligence with respect to employee activities. Ben-Yakov Phillips was also contacted for comment but declined to speak to the Guardian.
. The UK Embassy in Tel Aviv is basically saying "oh no, someone owns a house in an illegal settlement" and then proceeding to employ that person without batting an eye 
. I mean, come on! You'd think they'd be more careful with their vetting process, especially considering the settlement's connection to violent extremism.
. The fact that Gila Ben-Yakov Phillips owns a home in Kerem Reim and listed it as her address on financial documents is just...wow 
. It's not like she was hiding it or anything (although, if she was, that's still not cool).
. "Examine an organisation's ownership structure or an individual's circle of contacts"? Sounds easy enough, but I guess they didn't do their due diligence 
.
.
, but at the same time, I don't know if it's fair to hold her accountable for something her family did 10+ years ago? Like, shouldn't we be focusing on the bigger picture here? The UK gov needs to get its act together and figure out how to enforce sanctions properly 
... but maybe we're being too hasty to judge Gila Ben-Yakov Phillips? She might be a totally awesome person with no connection to the settlement at all 
... wait, no she doesn't own the house, she just has one in the area 
... this is so confusing!
it's not just about security vetting, it's about doing due diligence and being aware of the reputational risks. the fact that this employee's salary might be contributing to the payment of Amana's fees is just a red flag 
