UK Makes Last-Ditch Effort to Prevent Israel Closing East Jerusalem Consulate
The UK is attempting to dissuade Israel from shuttering its consulate in East Jerusalem, a move threatened in retaliation for British sanctions on Israeli settlements.
The United Kingdom is undertaking a final attempt to convince Israel not to close the British consulate in East Jerusalem, a development slated for later this week. Israel announced in September its intention to shut the mission, which operates independently of the UK's embassy in Tel Aviv, as a reprisal for the UK's imposition of sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
The British sanctions are designed to prohibit settlement goods and target companies and individuals involved in expanding settlements. The Foreign Office has stated it will not comment on "speculation and live discussions" regarding potential reciprocal expulsions of Israeli diplomats by the UK.
Israel's government indicated it would close the mission within 30 days of the UK's sanctions announcement, setting Thursday as the potential closure date unless an agreement is reached. The consulate, originally established in 1838, is responsible for the UK's relations with Palestinians in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza.
Last week, UK National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell visited Israel for discussions, but apparently left without securing an agreement. Israeli media reports suggest the UK has threatened to expel up to 27 Israeli diplomats if the consulate closure proceeds, a measure typically seen between adversaries rather than allies.
France and Canada also joined the UK in enacting initial sanctions, but Israel has not taken retaliatory action against them. Emily Thornberry, chair of the foreign affairs committee, asserted that the closure of the British consulate in East Jerusalem, considered occupied Palestinian territory, is beyond Israel's authority. She described the move as an attempt by the current Israeli government to obstruct a two-state solution and stated that the UK must resist it.
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has previously expressed opposition to the consulate's closure, noting last month that it would impede the "very important work that we are doing, helping people in those communities."