The foreign secretary, Ed Miliband, has confirmed that Britain’s consulate general building in East Jerusalem will remain open rather than close; it will function as a UK mission, retaining independence while continuing to serve Palestinian communities.
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Israel had ordered the British consulate in East Jerusalem to close on Thursday amidst the UK’s plan to impose sanctions on settlements in the West Bank.
Miliband explained that after withdrawing several staff and families in recent weeks, the mission will now focus on strengthening its presence.
He emphasized that Britain would not pursue reciprocal actions against Israel while the two sides continue negotiations, especially as speculation grows about the expulsion of some Israeli diplomats from the UK.
Diplomats from other Western nations voiced concerns that any closure might set a dangerous precedent and called on Britain to respond firmly to the Israeli measures, noting broader implications beyond the immediate dispute.
The consulate stands separately from the UK embassy in Tel Aviv and fulfills a distinct diplomatic mandate, covering East Jerusalem, the rest of the West Bank, and Gaza, where it delivers consular services to Palestinians.
In protest against the UK’s decision to ban trade in goods from illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, Israel threatened to shut the consulate. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar characterized the sanctions as “morally distorted” and accused the Labour‑led government of hostility toward his country.
The episode has intensified friction among Israel’s traditional allies over its settlements in the West Bank, which most of the global community, including the United Kingdom, view as illegal under international law.
The mission outlined by Miliband during a parliamentary address described settler groups, backed by the Netanyahu administration, as perpetrating ethnic cleansing in the West Bank. Israel rejected these claims.
The UK Foreign Office received informal guidance from former attorney general Dominic Grieve indicating that closing the consulate on the basis of its location—as recognized by the UN and numerous members, including the UK—would constitute an illicit act.
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Israel has further indicated that it will invalidate the credentials of Dutch diplomats representing its mission to Palestine in response to the Netherlands’ prohibition on imports from illegal settlements. France and Canada, which aligned with the UK on the trade ban, have not yet faced such consequences.
Relations between the UK and Israel have deteriorated alongside the conflict in Gaza, driven by Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on civilians; concurrently, London has grown increasingly critical of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s tolerance of casualties among Palestinians in his campaign to degrade Hamas’s capabilities—a strategy previous Westminster administrations deemed unachievable.
The United Kingdom has revoked numerous arms export licenses to Israel, and Miliband has referenced alleged war crimes within Gaza, though he refrains from formally accusing Israel of genocide, stating such matters should be adjudicated by international tribunals.
