UK Embassy in Tel Aviv Embroiled in Controversy Over HR Staffer's Home Address
A British embassy staffer living in an Israeli settlement deemed illegal by the international community has raised questions about the UK government's sanctions policies and its handling of employee vetting procedures.
Gila Ben-Yakov Phillips, the deputy head of corporate services and human resources at the embassy in Tel Aviv, owns a home in Kerem Reim - a settlement built on land claimed by Palestinians as part of their future state. The community is considered illegal under international law but has been authorized by the Israeli government.
According to financial documents seen by the Guardian, Phillips listed her Kerem Reim address on financial statements at the time of her employment. This has led some experts to argue that she may have breached UK sanctions laws and raised concerns about security vetting procedures within the embassy.
The issue revolves around a company called Amana, which has been sanctioned by the UK for its ties to violent extremism in Palestine. Phillips bought her home from previous residents before the sanctions were imposed, but her association with Amana raises questions about due diligence and potential breaches of sanctions laws.
If Phillips's salary contributes to payment of Amana's fees, this could also be seen as a breach of UK sanctions policy, according to experts. The embassy may have breached its own policies by hiring someone who has ties to a sanctioned entity, potentially putting the UK at risk of being complicit in any violations of international law.
The situation highlights tensions between the Israeli government and the international community over settlements in the West Bank. The UK recognized Palestine as a state earlier this year, and the International Court of Justice has ruled that Israel's occupation of the West Bank is illegal.
Critics argue that the embassy should have taken steps to ensure its employees were not involved in any breaches of sanctions or international law. The staffer's association with a community overwhelmingly backing a politician sanctioned for violent extremism also raises concerns about the potential impact on morale and decision-making within the embassy.
In response to questions from the Guardian, the Foreign Office refused to comment on potential breaches of sanctions laws or its due diligence procedures.
A British embassy staffer living in an Israeli settlement deemed illegal by the international community has raised questions about the UK government's sanctions policies and its handling of employee vetting procedures.
Gila Ben-Yakov Phillips, the deputy head of corporate services and human resources at the embassy in Tel Aviv, owns a home in Kerem Reim - a settlement built on land claimed by Palestinians as part of their future state. The community is considered illegal under international law but has been authorized by the Israeli government.
According to financial documents seen by the Guardian, Phillips listed her Kerem Reim address on financial statements at the time of her employment. This has led some experts to argue that she may have breached UK sanctions laws and raised concerns about security vetting procedures within the embassy.
The issue revolves around a company called Amana, which has been sanctioned by the UK for its ties to violent extremism in Palestine. Phillips bought her home from previous residents before the sanctions were imposed, but her association with Amana raises questions about due diligence and potential breaches of sanctions laws.
If Phillips's salary contributes to payment of Amana's fees, this could also be seen as a breach of UK sanctions policy, according to experts. The embassy may have breached its own policies by hiring someone who has ties to a sanctioned entity, potentially putting the UK at risk of being complicit in any violations of international law.
The situation highlights tensions between the Israeli government and the international community over settlements in the West Bank. The UK recognized Palestine as a state earlier this year, and the International Court of Justice has ruled that Israel's occupation of the West Bank is illegal.
Critics argue that the embassy should have taken steps to ensure its employees were not involved in any breaches of sanctions or international law. The staffer's association with a community overwhelmingly backing a politician sanctioned for violent extremism also raises concerns about the potential impact on morale and decision-making within the embassy.
In response to questions from the Guardian, the Foreign Office refused to comment on potential breaches of sanctions laws or its due diligence procedures.
. The UK Embassy in Tel Aviv, which is already caught between a rock and a hard place with all the settlement drama, now has one of their own making waves by owning a home in that dodgy settlement. I mean, what's next? Are they gonna start putting up embassy flags on Mars or something?
. And now she might be contributing to payment for Amana's fees, which could be seen as breaching UK sanctions policy?
. I mean, I get that there are tensions between the Israeli government and the international community, but come on, can't they just have a nice cuppa tea and work it out? Instead of having to scrutinize every single one of their embassy staff's personal lives.
It's like they're just sweeping it under the rug and hoping no one notices.
. Like, how did she not even know that was a no-no? And what's with the lack of due diligence on her part? It's not like it's rocket science to check if you're buying a house from some shady company 
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. Great, just what we need - more bureaucratic red tape and a whole lot of unnecessary drama 
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think that's where this controversy would've started, maybe not even become a big deal. now it's all about the ties to Amana and what that means for sanctions policies 
but seriously, how does one vet someone who's got connections to an 'illegal' community? 
not sure if the embassy did their due diligence or if Phillips was already in deep with Amana before she took the job 
this is just so dodgy 
like that. i mean, i get it, the uk recognizes palestine as a state now and all, but still... 
how do you even vet someone for sanctions laws when they're just gonna find a way around 'em? 
. and what about due diligence? shouldn't the embassy have done its homework on this person before hiring them? 
it's not just about sanctions laws, it's also about loyalty and trust... 
️. It's like, you'd think the embassy would be more careful about vetting their staff given the current climate. Gila Ben-Yakov Phillips just seems to have made some bad choices, but I don't think it's necessarily a case of her breaking any laws 
. More like, maybe she wasn't as aware of the potential risks as they could've been? The bigger question is, how did this happen in the first place? 
And what's going to be done about it now? I think some kind of review or investigation would be a good start 
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! I mean, who knew being employed by the UK Embassy in Tel Aviv could get you into so much hot water? It's like they say, "you can't have your cake and sit on the West Bank settlement too"... just kidding, but seriously though, this is some crazy stuff. I feel bad for Gila Ben-Yakov Phillips, poor thing 
. Guess she didn't realize her Kerem Reim address would be a major red flag. Like, who checks these things? 
. "Don't buy from Amana" sounds simple enough, but apparently it requires a PhD in international law to figure out what that even means.
. I'm not saying the embassy is definitely breached UK sanctions laws, but it's definitely got people wondering 
. Can't have our diplomatic efforts being undermined by something as simple as HR mix-ups 
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... not just from the staffer involved but also from the embassy itself and maybe even the gov't as a whole 
. It feels like they're being roasted for something that could've happened at any point in time.
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. I mean, they should at least be willing to say if they did their due diligence on Phillips or not. If they didn't, that's even worse! It just makes me wonder what other secrets are hiding beneath the surface... 
Gila Ben-Yakov Phillips owns a home in Kerem Reim settlement which is like considered ILLEGAL by international law 
. so basically, she might be connected to some shady company that's been sanctioned by the uk... and we're just gonna let her slide?