Israel announced that the majority of British diplomats will depart from the British Consulate in occupied East Jerusalem, in response to UK sanctions imposed on settlements in the occupied West Bank.
According to the BBC, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar stated that Israel implemented the measures it had announced and committed to on September 8 in response to British sanctions. Sa’ar said: “The British Consulate in Jerusalem shuts down its operations today. Accordingly, the plaque of the British Consulate in Jerusalem has been removed.”
However, the British flag could still be seen outside the building, and several staff members were seen entering on Thursday morning.
Limited diplomatic staff inside the building
Sa’ar noted that talks with the British government led to an agreement on specific principles, including that “the Consul General and 20 diplomats (including the Consul General) are ending their duties and will leave Israel.”
At the same time, the Israeli Foreign Minister acknowledged that the building “is owned by the British Government,” clarifying that Israel permitted a “skeleton staff of only seven diplomats with a very limited scope of operations” to work inside.
He added that as a result of this agreement with the United Kingdom, “no steps will be taken against Israel.”
He continued: “We did not want to reach this stage,” explaining that 20 diplomats, including the Consul General, will leave Israel, while a task force of 7 members will be permitted to remain inside the building with a “very limited operational scope.”
UK temporarily withdraws staff for security reasons
In response, British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband stated that the United Kingdom has “temporarily withdrawn some staff” for security reasons, emphasizing that the mission “will continue to work with the Palestinian people.”
Miliband added that the UK government does not accept that Israel has the right to close the consulate, reiterating London’s position that “East Jerusalem is occupied territory.”
Miliband noted that following discussions with the Israeli government, the building “will not close” and will be known as the “UK Mission in Jerusalem.”
He further explained that the discussions did not yield an understanding regarding “the necessary guarantees for the security and protection of our staff and premises.”
He added: “Accordingly, the UK has temporarily withdrawn a number of staff and their families to ensure their security and safety.”
British sanctions on settlements
Israel had announced last September that it would close the British Consulate in retaliation for revised UK sanctions targeting Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, which are considered illegal under international law.
The British government made last-minute efforts to persuade Israel not to close the consulate ahead of the deadline, after Tel Aviv announced it would close the consulate within 30 days of the sanctions’ announcement.
Israeli media had reported that the United Kingdom threatened to expel Israeli diplomats from London, raising the prospect of further damage to bilateral ties between the two countries.
The British Consulate, originally established in 1838, manages UK relations with Palestinians in Jerusalem, as well as in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
According to the BBC, the consulate operates separately from the British Embassy in Tel Aviv, which serves as the UK’s primary diplomatic hub in Israel.
Israel forces out British diplomats in Jerusalem over West Bank sanctions Egypt Independent.
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