The departure of 20 British diplomats from the Eastern Jerusalem consulate, following recent tensions between Israel and Britain, marks a turning point in the diplomatic relations between the two countries. Gideon Sa'ar, Israel's Foreign Minister, announced this news, stating: "We did not want it to come to this" and emphasized that this departure is due to actions Israel has taken in response to Britain's sanctions against Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Emphasis on continuing activities
In response to this action, Ed Miliband, the British Foreign Secretary, clarified that the British consulate in Jerusalem will not be closed and will continue to provide "vital" services. He also stated that a number of staff have temporarily left the premises for security reasons, but this representation will still cooperate with the Palestinian people.
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The British consulate, established in 1838, is responsible for Britain's relations with the Palestinians in Jerusalem and the surrounding areas. This consulate is separate from the British embassy in Tel Aviv, which is the main center for Britain's diplomatic relations with Israel.
Diplomatic talks and the future of relations
Gideon Sa'ar announced that negotiations with the British government have led to an agreement under which the consul and 20 diplomats will end their mission and leave Israel. However, Israel has allowed a working group of seven diplomats with a very limited scope of activities to remain in this building.
This agreement is seen as a compromise between the two countries and has reduced the intensity of a dispute that could have further soured bilateral relations. Ed Miliband still insists that Israel does not have the legal right to close the consulate and the British government reaffirms its long-standing position that East Jerusalem is occupied territory.
Despite Israel's threats to close the consulate, Britain seeks to maintain its presence in the region, and according to Steven Dowty, the Deputy Foreign Secretary of Britain, "the building remains open and we are maintaining our presence."
The British government has stated that it reserves its right to take "reciprocal action," but will not do so as long as talks are ongoing. This means it is unlikely that Britain will take retaliatory action before the Israeli elections at the end of this month.
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