UK to Retain Jerusalem Consulate Building as Most Diplomats Depart

The United Kingdom has confirmed it will maintain a diplomatic presence in East Jerusalem despite an Israeli decree ordering the closure of the British consulate, a move that has resulted in the departure of most UK diplomats. Israel initiated the shutdown in September as a direct response to London’s imposition of sanctions on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, which violate international law.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced on social media that operations at the consulate concluded on Thursday. He stated that 20 diplomats and the Consul General are ending their duties and leaving Israel. However, under a negotiated agreement, a seven-person task force will remain in the building to conduct activities with a significantly limited scope.

Saar emphasized that the building remains British property and that no further retaliatory measures against Israel would be taken as a result of the arrangement. Israeli media had previously reported that the UK threatened to expel Israeli diplomats from London, a development that could have severely damaged bilateral relations.

UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband rejected the notion that the consulate was being closed. In a written statement, he asserted that Israel does not have the right to shut the facility and reaffirmed the UK’s long-standing position that East Jerusalem is occupied territory. The mission will be rebranded as the “UK Mission, Jerusalem” effective Thursday.

Miliband acknowledged that while the building will remain open, the UK has not secured necessary assurances regarding the safety and security of its staff and premises. Consequently, a number of diplomats and their families have been temporarily withdrawn as a precautionary measure. He stressed that the mission will continue to work with the Palestinian people.

The consulate, established in 1838, serves as the primary diplomatic link between the UK and Palestinians in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza. It operates separately from the UK embassy in Tel Aviv, which handles main diplomatic relations with Israel. The UK had made last-ditch efforts to prevent the closure ahead of the Thursday deadline, following Israel’s initial announcement that it would close the consulate within 30 days of the sanctions being announced.