UK-Israel Diplomatic Row: British Consulate in East Jerusalem Becomes UK Mission
Israel says the British Consulate in East Jerusalem has ceased operating in its previous form, while Britain will retain a smaller diplomatic team at the building under a new name.
The diplomatic rift between Israel and Britain has deepened after Israel said the British Consulate General in East Jerusalem had ceased operating in its previous form, with 20 British diplomats, including the consul general, leaving Israel.
However, the building itself will remain operational. Britain has agreed to rename it the “UK Mission, Jerusalem” and keep a smaller team of seven diplomats there. The mission will continue providing services and working with Palestinians and British nationals.
The dispute follows Britain’s decision to ban trade in goods produced in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Israel ordered the consulate closed in response, prompting fears of reciprocal diplomatic expulsions.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said the consulate had ended its operations and would continue only with a limited diplomatic task force. Britain, meanwhile, has rejected Israel’s claimed legal authority to close the nearly 200-year-old consulate and maintains that East Jerusalem is occupied territory.
British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said London would not take reciprocal action against Israeli diplomats while discussions continue. Britain also plans to rebuild its diplomatic presence at the site over the coming months.
The consulate has historically handled Britain’s relations with Palestinians in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza. Its downsizing marks a significant deterioration in ties between two long-standing partners, even as both sides have stopped short of a full diplomatic rupture.
