Israel has told the British consulate in East Jerusalem to cease operations within 30 days and has revoked its diplomatic accreditation (Dawn).
The full order
– the consulate closes within 30 days – British representatives assigned to a US-led Gaza coordination mission must leave within 7 days – British diplomats based in Ramallah must leave within the same 7 days
The stated reason
Foreign Minister Gideon Saar cited Britain’s imposition of trade sanctions on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Why this consulate specifically
Because it is not accredited to Israel. The East Jerusalem consulate is accredited to the Palestinian Authority, and has been Britain’s diplomatic channel to Palestinians for decades — a status that predates Israel’s annexation of East Jerusalem, which most of the world does not recognise.
Closing it is therefore not a symmetrical diplomatic retaliation. Israel is not expelling British diplomats accredited to Israel; it is removing the mission through which Britain deals with Palestinians, on Israeli-claimed territory whose claim Britain does not accept.
Not only Britain
France, Canada and Sweden have adopted similar sanctions on settlement goods. The Israeli government was reported to be meeting on Wednesday to decide responses to all of them.
What is not established
No British response had been issued at the time of writing, and Netanyahu’s office declined to comment. It is not clear whether the order is final or a negotiating position, and Israel has not said what happens to consular services for Palestinians after 30 days.
[Image: Reuters via Dawn]
