Israel to close the British consulate in East Jerusalem

On October 8, Israel will close the British consulate in East Jerusalem.

At the same time, British diplomats and their family members will not be expelled from the country.

The consulate will lose its diplomatic status, and about 30 of its employees will be able to continue working at the British embassy in Tel Aviv. Earlier, London had considered the possibility of expelling Israeli diplomats from the United Kingdom in response to the closure of the consulate.

Israel made the decision to close the mission after the United Kingdom imposed restrictions on trade in goods from Israeli settlements in the West Bank. An attempt by the British prime minister's national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, to secure the reversal of this decision during a visit to Israel did not lead to an agreement.

The consulate in East Jerusalem is responsible for the United Kingdom's relations with the Palestinians in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip, and it also provides consular services. Its closure has become another stage in the deterioration of relations between London and Tel Aviv.

Sources: The Times, Reuters