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UK and Israel broker compromise over East Jerusalem consulate
POLITICO.eu • • world
Key Points:
- The U.K. and Israel reached a compromise to avoid fully closing the British consulate in East Jerusalem, with most diplomats withdrawing but the mission remaining operational as a "U.K. Mission."
- The move follows tensions over the U.K.'s sanctions on illegal West Bank settlements, with Israel removing the consulate's sign and 20 diplomats leaving, though seven remain and the British flag still flies.
- U.K. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband emphasized the mission's continued independence and engagement with Palestinians, rejecting Israel's legal claim to close the consulate in occupied East Jerusalem.
- Despite the compromise, the U.K. keeps the option of retaliatory measures open after Israel threatened to expel British diplomats, while both sides avoided a potential escalation of diplomatic expulsions.
- The U.K. hopes to rebuild its presence after Israel's October elections, following intense negotiations including a visit by U.K. National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell to Jerusalem.
