Britain renames East Jerusalem consulate as UK Mission after Israeli deadline

The Daily Mail, Euronews, and the Daily Express reported on Thursday that Britain has downscaled and renamed its consulate in East Jerusalem as the UK Mission. The change came after a 30-day deadline set by Israel expired following a row over British sanctions targeting Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. [1][2][3][6]

Workers were seen removing signs and plaques reading British Consulate General from the building, according to the Daily Mail and the Daily Express. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar stated that 20 British diplomats are ending their assignments and leaving Israel, Euronews reported. Sa'ar added that a reduced task force of no more than seven diplomats will be authorised to work from the renamed facility. [1][2][3]

British Foreign Minister Ed Miliband stressed that the diplomatic post is not closing completely and will instead operate as the UK Mission, Jerusalem, Euronews reported. The institution was established in 1838 and handles British relations with Palestinians in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza, as reported by the Daily Express and South China Morning Post. As FTMQ News reported earlier, the consulate operates separately from the main British embassy in Tel Aviv. [1][2][3][6][16]

The dispute began when London announced trade restrictions and sanctions against illegal West Bank settlements on September 8, prompting Israel to demand the diplomatic post close within 30 days, the Daily Express and Daily Mail reported. The West Bank has been under Israeli occupation since 1967. [1][3][12]