Britain and Israel have reached a last-minute agreement to keep the UK's diplomatic mission in Jerusalem open, albeit on a smaller scale. The nearly 200-year-old British consulate-general in Jerusalem, established in 1839, will be renamed the "UK Mission" in the city. This compromise comes after Israel ordered the consulate to shut in a sanctions dispute. The agreement allows 7 British diplomats to continue working at the mission in a limited role, after 20 diplomats, including the consul-general, depart.
The UK had faced a 30-day deadline to close the consulate, imposed by Israel last month, in response to London's announcement of sanctions targeting Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. These sanctions included a ban on trade in goods from the settlements. The UK's foreign secretary, Ed Miliband, stated that his country does not accept Israel's legal right to close the consulate, which is located in a part of Jerusalem captured by Israel in the 1967 war and later annexed.
Following discussions with Israel, Miliband announced that the consulate-general building would not be closing and would be known as the UK Mission, Jerusalem. He emphasized that it would continue to "deliver vital services and our work with the Palestinian people". The UK had considered reciprocal measures, including ejecting Israeli diplomats, if the mission were closed. However, Miliband said that the UK would hold off on such actions for now.
Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar confirmed that Israel and the UK had reached an understanding to prevent further deterioration in relations between the two countries. Saar stated that the consulate would formally end operations, but some British diplomats would be allowed to continue working there. The UK's minister for the Middle East, Stephen Doughty, expressed relief that the building remains open and staff continue doing important work.
The UK's top national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, visited Israel last week in a bid to keep the consulate from closing. Doughty told Sky News that the UK was engaged in ongoing talks with the Israeli government and deeply regretted Israel's actions in relation to its consulate. The closure order does not affect Britain's embassy in Tel Aviv, which handles diplomatic relations with Israel's government.
The consulate, located in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of East Jerusalem, has handled Britain's relations with Palestinians in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza, and has provided consular services to Palestinians. The British sanctions announcement and Israel's order to close the consulate mark a new low in a relationship that has deteriorated over the past three years.
The agreement averts a major diplomatic crisis between longstanding allies. Miliband said that the UK had "temporarily withdrawn a number of staff and families to ensure their safety and security" and would work to build back its presence in the coming months. The UK will not take reciprocal action while discussions are underway and credible, Miliband added.
Key points
- The UK's diplomatic mission in Jerusalem will be renamed the "UK Mission" and continue operations with a reduced staff.
- The agreement comes after Israel ordered the consulate to shut in response to UK sanctions targeting Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
- The compromise averts a major diplomatic crisis between the UK and Israel, two longstanding allies.
