Israel Orders British Consulate in East Jerusalem to Close
The move follows UK sanctions on settlement goods and accusations of ethnic cleansing against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
Israel has ordered the British Consulate in occupied East Jerusalem to cease operations within thirty days. This decision intensifies diplomatic tensions with the United Kingdom following London's recent measures targeting trade linked to illegal Israeli colonies in the occupied West Bank.
Israeli officials notified diplomats that their accreditation will be withdrawn after the deadline. Sources familiar with the matter stated that British personnel assigned to a US-led Gaza coordination mission were also instructed to depart within seven days from their stations in Ramallah.
Foreign Minister Gideon Saar confirmed the closure was a direct response to British actions. He cited specific measures concerning trade and commercial activity associated with Israeli colonizers in the occupied territories as the primary cause for this significant diplomatic escalation.
British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband recently announced a ban on imports from settlements. He also imposed sanctions on companies and individuals facilitating expansion, while rejecting new arms export licenses that contribute to the occupation and maintaining suspensions on existing ones.
Miliband accused the Israeli government of ignoring violence by extremist colonizers. He stated that the forced removal of Palestinians constitutes ethnic cleansing, noting that some Israeli officials have supported displacement efforts in parts of the occupied West Bank.
The consulate manages UK relations with the Palestinian Authority across Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza. International law considers East Jerusalem part of Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, a status reaffirmed by the International Court of Justice in its 2024 advisory opinion.
UN Security Council Resolution 478 previously declared Israeli measures altering Jerusalem’s status null and void. The international community largely views settlements as illegal, though Israel rejects this position despite growing isolation and documented increases in outpost establishment and violent attacks.