Occupied Jerusalem (QNN)- UK Foreign Minister Ed Miliband has said the UK consulate building in occupied Jerusalem will not be closing but will be known as the “UK Mission” from today, serving the Palestinian people, following Israel’s decision to close it over the UK’s move to ban trade with Israeli settlements.
He reiterated the government’s “long-standing view” that East Jerusalem is occupied territory. He said that the UK Mission is “independent, operational and will continue to deliver vital services and work with the Palestinian people”.
Miliband added that the UK has temporarily withdrawn several staff and families from the city to “ensure their safety and security”.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar confirmed that the UK consulate in occupied East Jerusalem “is ending its activities today”, adding that it will “continue operating under a limited capacity, and the signage on the consulate building has been removed accordingly”.
This comes 30 days after Saar demanded the consulate close in a month in response to the UK imposing sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements and banning imported goods made there.
Earlier, journalists from the Reuters news agency saw workers remove a plaque reading “British Consulate General” from the building on Thursday, as well as another sign for its consular section. The UK flag was still flying over the building.
Miliband said the UK would not take any reciprocal action against Israel while the two sides engage in talks, following speculation that the UK could expel a number of Israeli diplomats from it.
The UK had threatened to expel 27 Israeli diplomats if Israel proceeded to close the consulate in occupied East Jerusalem, according to Israeli media reports.
Israel has been adamant the consulate will close even as the UK has sought to keep it open, including sending the country’s top national security adviser to Israel last week for talks.
The UK’s presence in the city dates back almost 200 years, long before the state of Israel was established in 1948. The closure order does not affect the UK’s embassy in Tel Aviv, which handles diplomatic relations with Israel’s occupation government.
The consulate, in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of occupied East Jerusalem, handles the UK’s relations with Palestinians in Jerusalem, as well as in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. It also provides consular services to Palestinians.
Middle East Eye (MEE) reported that Britain's decision was being watched closely by other consulates, including France and Spain, which fear they will be next to be forced out if the British quit.
Zack Polanski, the leader of the Green Party, told MEE last week: “East Jerusalem is illegally occupied Palestinian territory, and Israel has no sovereignty over it. The UK must ignore Israel’s order and keep the British Consulate open.”
The Green leader pointed out that the “consulate is also a vital diplomatic link between Britain and Palestinians in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza”.
He said that “closing it would further isolate Palestinians and weaken Britain’s ability to engage with them directly”.
In addition to the consulate closure order, Israel expelled the UK from the US-led coordination centre for post-genocide Gaza and barred 11 lawmakers from entering Israel, including former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana.
