UK Keeps Jerusalem Consulate Open as Israel Demands Closure

Most diplomats will leave the British consulate in occupied East Jerusalem, Israel says, but the UK insists the building "will not be closing", and will operate as a "UK Mission".

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar wrote in a post that 20 diplomats and the consul general would leave Israel while a task force of seven could remain in the building with a very limited scope of activity.

UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said the staff had been "temporarily withdrawn" for security reasons, but affirmed the mission will continue to serve the Palestinian people.

Israel had announced in September that it would shut the consulate as retaliation for UK sanctions on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, which it says are illegal under international law.

The UK made last‑ditch efforts to persuade Israel not to close the consulate before the Thursday deadline, after the Israeli government pledged to shut it within 30 days of the sanctions announcement.

The consulate, established in 1838, handles UK relations with Palestinians in Jerusalem as well as the West Bank and Gaza, and is separate from the UK embassy in Tel Aviv.

Saar said the consulate would "close its operations today" and that the sign was removed, but a British flag could still be seen outside on Thursday morning.

Saar added that the building is property of the British government and that Israel authorised a small task force to operate inside.

He claimed the agreement meant no steps would be taken against Israel, according to Israeli media.

The deal is seen as a compromise that has eased the heat between the two governments, maintaining the consulate’s status as an active UK presence.

Miliband reiterated that East Jerusalem is occupied territory and that the mission will not be closing but will be known as the UK Mission, Jerusalem from Thursday.

The Foreign Office said the seven diplomats who remain will continue to deliver vital services, while Israel indicates only a limited scope of activity.

Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty said the building remains open and that the UK will keep staff able to work with the Palestinian Authority, continuing ongoing conversations with Israel.

He added that while the name changed, the UK presence remains, and it will maintain policies that fundamentally disagree with the current Israeli government. The UK keeps the right to take reciprocal action, but will hold off until Israel’s elections later this month.