Israel and the UK have reached a compromise that keeps Britain’s diplomatic premises in Jerusalem operating, despite an Israeli order closing the British Consulate General taking effect on Thursday.
The dispute followed UK sanctions and trade restrictions targeting Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, announced in September. Israel described the measures as hostile and ordered the British consulate to close in response.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said the closure order had taken effect, and the consulate’s signage had been removed.
However, UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said the building itself would remain open under a new name, “UK Mission, Jerusalem”, following discussions between the two governments.
The mission will remain independent and continue Britain’s diplomatic and consular work with Palestinians in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza.
The agreement involves a substantial reduction in staffing. Around 20 British diplomats, including the consul general, are expected to leave, with seven remaining, according to Reuters.
The UK has also temporarily withdrawn a number of staff members and their families, citing security concerns, but said it intends to rebuild its presence over time.
London maintains that Israel does not have the legal authority to close the mission, reflecting the UK’s longstanding position that East Jerusalem is occupied territory and that its final status should be determined through negotiations.
Sa’ar said the Israeli action was a response to what he described as increasingly hostile UK policy towards Israel, including sanctions connected with settlement activity.
The UK introduced measures on 8 September targeting settlement-related activity and said they were intended to protect the prospects of a two-state solution.
Miliband said Britain would not take reciprocal diplomatic action while talks with Israel remain active and credible, avoiding a wider escalation that could have included expulsions of Israeli diplomats.
The practical outcome is therefore less straightforward than a full diplomatic closure: the British Consulate General has ceased operating under that designation, but Britain retains the same Jerusalem premises and a reduced diplomatic presence under the new UK Mission name.
The episode nevertheless marks a further deterioration in UK-Israel relations, with the two governments increasingly divided over Israeli settlements, the status of the Palestinian territories and the future of a two-state settlement.
