UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has said Britain's consulate general building in occupied East Jerusalem will not close but will instead operate as a UK mission, after Israel ordered it shut over planned British sanctions on West Bank settlements, according to the Guardian and Al Jazeera.
Key facts
- Ed Miliband says the East Jerusalem consulate building will not close, according to the Guardian and Al Jazeera.
- The former consulate general will be known as a UK mission, remaining independent and operational, the Guardian reported.
- Israel ordered the consulate to close on Thursday over the UK's planned sanctions on West Bank settlements, the Guardian reported.
- Some diplomats are to remain, and the mission will continue serving the Palestinian people, according to the sources.
Britain’s consulate general building in occupied East Jerusalem will remain open, UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has said, despite an Israeli order for it to close, according to the Guardian and Al Jazeera.
According to the Guardian, Miliband said the former consulate general would be known as a UK mission and would remain independent, operational and serving the Palestinian people.
The announcement came as an Israeli deadline expired. Israel had ordered the British consulate in East Jerusalem to close on Thursday, the Guardian reported, in response to the UK’s plans to impose sanctions on settlements in the West Bank.
Al Jazeera reported that the consulate was being renamed as a mission and that some diplomats would remain in place, while signage at the building had been removed as the Israeli deadline passed.
Miliband’s statement, carried by both Al Jazeera and the Guardian, indicated that Britain intends to maintain its diplomatic presence in East Jerusalem under the new designation rather than shut the building down entirely.
The move keeps the future of the diplomatic post tied to the broader dispute over the UK’s planned settlement sanctions. The sources do not detail how many diplomats will remain or Israel’s response to the renaming.
Why it matters
The fate of the East Jerusalem post has become a point of friction between the UK and Israel, reflecting wider tensions over West Bank settlements and the UK's planned sanctions. Keeping the building open as a mission signals Britain's intention to maintain its diplomatic links to the Palestinian people despite Israeli pressure.
Frequently asked questions
Is the UK consulate in East Jerusalem closing?
No. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said the consulate general building will not close and will instead operate as a UK mission, remaining independent and operational.
Why did Israel want the consulate to close?
According to the Guardian, Israel ordered the British consulate in East Jerusalem to close on Thursday over the UK's plans to impose sanctions on settlements in the West Bank.
Will diplomats stay at the site?
Al Jazeera reported that some diplomats are to remain, with the building renamed as a UK mission.