Has Israel closed the British consulate in East Jerusalem – or downgraded it? | Israeli-Palestinian conflict News

The British government said it would maintain its presence in occupied east Jerusalem after Israel removed signage from its consulate amid deteriorating diplomatic relations.

The removal of the signage comes as Israel announced that 20 British diplomats, including the consul general, are expected to leave the country and return home.

British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said on Thursday that the consulate building would remain but would be downgraded to the “British Mission in Jerusalem”.

The Israeli government’s decision to close the consulate follows Miliband’s announcement last month that Britain would ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Here’s what we know:

What did Israel say about closing the consulate?

In a message on X, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar reiterated Thursday morning that “no action can be taken against Israel without Israel taking appropriate retaliatory measures.”

In retaliation for sanctions against occupied West Bank settlements, Saarland outlined four measures Israel was taking against the United Kingdom, including:

• Withdrawal of British representatives from the International Assistance Center for Gaza
• End British activities to train Palestinian Authority forces in the occupied West Bank
• Closure of the British consulate in Jerusalem
• Preventing the entry into Israel of 12 elected officials and other British citizens involved in “anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli activities”

“We did not want to come to this, but the actions of the Labor government led us there,” Saar wrote, adding that sanctions and the “hostile rhetoric” of ethnic cleansing of Palestinians had forced his hand against the British government.

“The British consulate in Jerusalem has completed its functions today. The consul general and 20 diplomats are terminating their functions and will leave Israel,” he said, adding that although the building is owned by the British government, Israel has allowed them to operate a task force of seven diplomats with a “very limited scope of activity” in the building.

The minister explained that the decision was also based on an agreement reached last night with the British government.

But isn’t the UK pretending that its mission will always work?

Yes.

In a statement, Miliband said the British government had made it “clear” that it did not accept Israel’s decision to close its consulate, which has existed for almost 200 years, reiterating its “long-held view that East Jerusalem is occupied territory.”

“The British mission in Jerusalem is independent, operational and will continue to provide vital services and our work with the Palestinian people.

“This will ensure we maintain our long-standing British presence and the UK’s role in supporting a two-state solution.

“Without a deal, we would not have the necessary assurances for the safety and protection of our staff and premises. As a result, the UK has temporarily withdrawn a number of staff and families to ensure their safety and security,” he said.

“We will work in the coming months to strengthen our presence and will not take any reciprocal action while such discussions are ongoing and credible.”

“The UK remains committed to the steps we took on 8 September, together with the international community, towards a two-state solution to ensure the peace and security of the people of Israel and Palestine,” Miliband added.

Reports of counter-action against the consulate closure, including the expulsion of one Israeli diplomat for every British diplomat required to leave the country, first came from the Israeli newspaper Ynet, citing a message sent to Israeli officials.

Regarding the consulate closure, Stephen Doughty, Minister of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, told BBC radio on Thursday morning that the British government was continuing discussions with Israel on the issue.

“You can see what has changed in terms of the name, but what is crucial is that a presence remains,” he said.

Asked about reports of a British threat to expel Israeli diplomats, the minister made no comment on the matter, but said they were engaging with Israel in a “mature, responsible and practical debate.”

Reporting from London, Al Jazeera’s Camille Nedelec said the downgrading of the consulate marked “a low point in relations between the UK and Israel”.

So, is this a decommissioned consulate?

Yes.

While a consulate primarily assists citizens, in this case Anglo-Palestinian nationals, a mission generally refers to a diplomatic representative.

However, according to Vincent Fean, former British consul general in Jerusalem, the current name of the consulate was “of no importance”.

“The Israeli electorate faces elections on October 27 and I think the British government’s plan is to wait and see what comes out of those elections and deal with whatever government the Israeli electorate chooses,” Fean told Al Jazeera.

“I think the key point is that Ed Miliband acted correctly on September 8, particularly on the issue of the E1 settlement – ​​the red line – which the Israelis are considering and which, according to Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, aims to bury the two-state solution,” he added. The E1 settlement aims to connect Ma’ale Adumim and other illegal Israeli settlements to occupied East Jerusalem, effectively cutting the West Bank in two.

The British consulate opened in 1839 but closed in 1914 at the start of the First World War. It was later re-established as a consulate general in 1948 following the end of the British Mandate in Palestine.

What led to this?

Relations deteriorated following the new Labor government’s decision to impose sanctions on illegal Israeli settlers and settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Miliband announced the measures and said last month that imports of all goods produced by illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank would be banned.

In his speech, he said there was “ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in certain areas of the West Bank – carried out by terrorist settlers.”

“The sanctions regime will target illegal settlements and settlement expansion, not Israel,” he said.

“We will continue to support important and valuable trade with the Israel Green Line precisely because we support the two-state solution, including the security and prosperity of Israel,” he added.

However, Israel condemned the announcement last month and called it “a series of anti-Israeli decisions by the Labor government.”

Saar said “the accusations made today by the Labor government’s Foreign Secretary to the British Parliament were outrageous lies” and outlined the four reciprocal actions.

Is the Israeli action legal?

No.

As the British consulate is in a part of Jerusalem that Israel captured in the 1967 war and has occupied since, it has no legal right to close the mission.

However, due to Israel’s continued occupation of the Palestinian territories, it is virtually the one who decides what can work in East Jerusalem.