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U.K. rebrands east Jerusalem consulate after Israel orders closure
NBC News • • world
Key Points:
- Britain announced its nearly 200-year-old consulate in Jerusalem will continue operating at a reduced scale, renamed as the "UK Mission," following Israel's order to shut it due to sanctions on Israeli settlements.
- Israel issued a 30-day deadline for Britain to close the consulate in east Jerusalem after London imposed sanctions targeting settlements in the occupied West Bank, a move Israel disputes.
- Despite Israel's insistence on closure, a deal allows some British diplomats to remain and continue work in the building, with Britain rejecting Israel's legal right to close the consulate.
- The consulate, founded in 1839 and located in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, manages Britain's relations with Palestinians in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza, and provides consular services to Palestinians.
- The dispute reflects broader tensions between Israel and Britain, exacerbated by British criticism of Israeli actions in Gaza and the West Bank, and accusations by Israel's government of hostility from Britain's Labour Party ahead of upcoming elections.
