UK will not close Jerusalem consulate after Israeli move, says foreign secretary

The British Consulate in Jerusalem, established in 1838, has been ordered to shut by Israel in retaliation for UK sanctions on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. According to Euronews, 20 diplomats and the Consul General will leave Israel, while a small task force of no more than seven diplomats will remain in the building with a limited scope of activity.

The UK, however, insists that the consulate will not be closing. Instead, it will be renamed as the UK Mission in Jerusalem, and will continue to deliver vital services and work with the Palestinian people, as stated by UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband. Some staff and their families have been temporarily withdrawn as a safety and security precaution, as reported by BBC World.

The dispute began when the UK announced plans to impose sanctions on settlements in the West Bank, which Israel considers an unacceptable move. Israel's Foreign Minister, Gideon Saar, expressed regret over the situation, stating that they "did not want it to come to this", while Miliband stressed that the UK does not accept Israel's right to close the consulate, according to Euronews.

Brief written by urgent.news from Al-Monitor, Euronews, BBC World, Channel News Asia, Middle East Eye — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.