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Israel and Britain Agree on East Jerusalem Consulate Status
Israel and the United Kingdom have reached an agreement to resolve a diplomatic crisis over the British Consulate General in Jerusalem. Under the compromise, the consulate's official status is revoked and its sign removed, with 20 of its 27 staff members, including the Consul General, departing Israel. However, Israel will permit a reduced presence of seven British diplomats to continue operating from the same building under the new name "UK Mission, Jerusalem" or "British Mission, Jerusalem."
8 newsrooms · 3 languages · since
What happened
- 01Israel and the UK agreed to close the British Consulate General in Jerusalem in its current format, with 20 of its 27 staff members departing Israel.
- 02Seven British diplomats will remain in the building to operate a scaled-down diplomatic presence under the name "UK Mission, Jerusalem."
- 03Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar stated that Israel implemented all four retaliatory measures declared on September 8 in response to British sanctions.
- 04British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband asserted that the UK does not recognize Israel's legal authority to close the 200-year-old diplomatic facility.
- 05The renamed British mission will remain independent and continue providing essential services to Palestinians in Jerusalem.
- 06Britain paused its threat to expel Israeli diplomats and will not take retaliatory measures while good-faith negotiations continue.
- 07Some British staff and their families were temporarily withdrawn from Jerusalem due to safety concerns before the agreement was reached.
The dispute began after Britain imposed sanctions on Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria on September 8, prompting Israel to announce four retaliatory measures. These included removing British representatives from a Gaza aid center, halting British training for Palestinian Authority forces, banning 12 British public figures from entering Israel, and ordering the consulate's closure. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar stated that Israel has now implemented all four measures, and that the agreement serves Israeli interests while securing a commitment that London will not take retaliatory steps.
In London, British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband presented a different narrative, asserting that the UK does not recognize Israel's legal right to close the nearly 200-year-old facility. Miliband stated that the mission is not closing but is being renamed, and will remain independent and active in providing essential services to Palestinians and supporting a two-state solution. He added that some staff and families had been temporarily withdrawn due to safety concerns, but the UK intends to restore full staffing levels in the coming months.
Both nations have agreed to avoid further escalation. Britain, which had previously threatened to expel Israeli diplomats, has paused any reciprocal measures while good-faith discussions continue.
Summarized by baba from the reports of 6 newsrooms. Updated
Latest report: Ynetnews. Read Ynetnews’s originalThe coverage
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