Israel retaliates diplomatically against UK settlement sanctions, downgrades British consulate in occupied East Jerusalem to 'delegation'

Jerusalem — Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on the 8th that, on the day the 30-day closure order expired, the British consulate in occupied East Jerusalem was not fully closed but was downgraded to a "British Delegation to Jerusalem," authorized to retain only seven diplomats. According to Al Jazeera, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar announced on the same day that the 20 diplomats (including the British consul general) previously working at the institution would end their assignments and leave Israel.

The downgrade is a direct response to UK plans to impose sanctions on Israeli settlements, including a ban on imports of settlement-produced goods. Sa'ar wrote on the social media platform X: "We have established a clear principle — any action against Israel will be met with corresponding retaliation." He said the downgrade was carried out "in this spirit."

This framing characterizes a routine policy response by a Western country against illegal settlements as a hostile act warranting "retaliation." Israel issued the closure order on September 8, requiring the consulate to cease operations within 30 days. Reuters reporters saw workers on that day removing the plaque reading "British Consulate General" and a consular section sign from the building's exterior wall, though the British flag still flew above the building.

UK Foreign Secretary Miliband said in a statement that Britain does not recognize Israel's legal authority to close the consulate. He stated: "Our consulate building will not close, and from today will be called the British Delegation to Jerusalem." Miliband also said that, during bilateral dialogue, Britain would not take reciprocal action against Israel. He added that, after recently withdrawing some staff and their families, Britain would work to rebuild its local presence. There had been outside speculation that Britain might expel several Israeli diplomats.

Miliband said the delegation "will continue to provide important services and continue our work with the Palestinian people." However, with diplomatic staff reduced sharply from 20 to seven, actual service capacity has been significantly compressed, and the specific quantitative impact remains unclear. The consulate is located in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem, handling Britain's relations with Jerusalem, the occupied West Bank, and Gazan Palestinians, and providing consular services to Palestinians.

The United Nations and most countries consider Israeli settlements to violate international law, a position Israel disputes. The report noted that Britain's presence in Jerusalem dates back nearly 200 years, well before the establishment of Israel in 1948. The downgrade does not affect the British embassy in Tel Aviv, which handles relations with the Israeli government.

Al Jazeera's London correspondent Kamel Nidalak reported that the consulate's downgrade to a delegation marks "a low point in UK-Israel relations." She said: "We know that dozens of diplomats are leaving or have already left."

The report also noted that Israel and the UK remain close economic, security, and intelligence partners.