Israel drastically reduces British diplomatic presence in Jerusalem, announces closure of consulate

Israel drastically reduces British diplomatic presence in Jerusalem, announces closure of consulate.

Key points

• It lies in east Jerusalem, part of the historically Palestinian area that Israel captured in 1967.
• The British consulate in Jerusalem was founded almost 200 years ago.
• While Israel controls east Jerusalem, most countries including Britain do not recognise its sovereignty over the whole city.
• Miliband remarked the UK did not accept that the Israeli administration had "the legal right" to enforce the closure.
• The source remarked they thought the recent dialogue between the British and Israeli governments would allow a "turning point" in deteriorating relations.

Israel drastically reduces British diplomatic presence in Jerusalem, announces closure of consulate. AFP Published October 8, 2026 Updated October 8, 2026 08: 58pm. Join our Whatsapp Channel.

Israel remarked the British consulate in Jerusalem concluded its functions on Thursday but that seven diplomats would be allowed to remain in a limited capacity, with the United Kingdom saying it would continue to offer "vital services".

In practice, the move comes after Israel ordered the closure of the consulate in September as retaliation after London led Western sanctions over violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar remarked Thursday's move to downsize the UK presence had followed a dialogue with the British administration so as to avoid an escalation of tensions between the two countries.

"As I announced, the British consulate in Jerusalem ended its role today, " Saar remarked in an official note, adding that 20 diplomats including the consul general were ending their missions and leaving the country.

Saar remarked the building is the property of the British administration and that a "task force of only seven diplomats" would be allowed to operate from the premises, "which ceased to function as a consulate today". "Their scope of activity will be very limited, " Saar remarked.

Britain and Israel have "agreed on the continuation of dialogue between the governments, within which both sides will be able to raise issues important to them", he remarked.

Meanwhile, the UK administration pledged to continue delivering "vital services" in Jerusalem, saying the consulate general building would remain open and would "be known as the UK Mission, Jerusalem".

"The UK Mission, Jerusalem is independent, operational and will continue to deliver vital services and our work with the Palestinian people, " British Foreign Minister Ed Miliband remarked in an official note.

"We will work in the coming months to build back up our presence and we will not take reciprocal action while such discussions are underway and credible, " he continued.

In practice, an AFP photographer on Thursday saw that the diplomatic emblem and a plaque that adorned the consulate's facade had been removed.

In practice, the measure has led Britain to lose a "historic and meaningful presence" in terms of their backing for the Palestinians and having a consulate general in Jerusalem, an Israeli diplomatic source stated.

"So yes, they keep the building" and a limited number of diplomats, the source informed AFP, but "they have lost a historic and significant footprint".

In practice, the source remarked they thought the recent dialogue between the British and Israeli governments would allow a "turning point" in deteriorating relations.

"If until a few weeks ago, until Sept 8, we were on a path of spiralling down, then I think the page has turned, and we are now on a path that will enable a return to more constructive, not only dialogue, " the source remarked.

"Dialogue is a path towards returning to. More constructive relations, " they continued. On Sept 8, Saar ordered the British consulate to close.

He remarked Israel would additionally expel British representatives at a centre monitoring the US-brokered ceasefire plan in Gaza, bar British training for Palestinian Authority forces and ban 12 Britons, mostly members of parliament, from visiting. Saar on Thursday remarked the measures had been implemented.

After a surge in settler attacks against Palestinians in the occupied territory, the retaliation came after 12 countries including Britain, Canada and France confirmed they would sanction trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The British consulate in Jerusalem was founded almost 200 years ago.

It lies in east Jerusalem, part of the historically Palestinian area that Israel captured in 1967. Israel afterwards annexed east Jerusalem and considers the holy city its undivided capital.

Notably, the British consulate handles "political, commercial, security and economic interests between the UK and Palestine", according to its website as well as providing consular services to British nationals in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza.

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