Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Seeks to Rename King George Street Amid British Sanctions Dispute
Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Aryeh King has urged Mayor Moshe Lion to rename King George Street to "Tavor HaAretz" in response to proposed British sanctions and trade restrictions targeting West Bank settlements.
Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Aryeh King has called to rename the historic King George Street in the capital to "Tavor HaAretz" (Navel of the Earth), following the British government's announcement of upcoming sanctions and trade restrictions against Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Municipal Initiative Amid Diplomatic Tensions
King sent his official request to Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion, who serves as chairman of the municipal street-naming committee. In his appeal, King tied the initiative directly to London's hardening policy against Israel, arguing that steps promoted by the British government regarding West Bank settlements and activities in Jerusalem warrant a reevaluation of honoring the British monarch in the capital's public sphere.
«The steps advanced by London against Israeli policy require us to reconsider the commemoration of the British king in the heart of Jerusalem,» King stated in his municipal appeal.
King George Street has carried its name for over a century, having been designated in 1924 during the British Mandate period after King George V. King emphasizes in his petition that neither an Israeli government nor a Jewish municipality established the name, noting similar historical adjustments made elsewhere in the country, such as Haifa renaming its King George Street to King David Street.
British Sanctions and International Alignment
The municipal demand follows the British government's formal declaration outlining a series of measures against West Bank settlements. The plan includes a future ban on the import of goods produced in settlements and new legislation granting British ministers the authority to impose targeted sanctions on organizations, companies, and individuals involved in settlement financing or construction. British Foreign Secretary David Miliband linked the move to settlement expansion and construction tenders in the E1 corridor, which London views as a red line.
The British initiative has also gained broader international backing. A joint statement issued by 12 countries—including Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom—announced their intention to implement national restrictions or support European measures targeting settlement trade.
Next Steps in the Municipal Process
While the British sanctions require complex legal and regulatory procedures that are expected to take months and will not immediately enter into force, King seeks to implement a symbolic countermeasure on the local level. To take effect, his proposal to rename the thoroughfare after the biblical verse referencing the navel of the earth must go through standard municipal procedures and committee approvals in Jerusalem.
