UK mulling response to possible closure of consulate

The United Kingdom may expel Israeli diplomats if Israel forces the closure of the British consulate in East Jerusalem as planned on Thursday.

The expulsions are among options London is believed to be considering if the mission is closed, which Israel said last month would happen in response to London announcing sanctions against illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

The consulate, which has operated since 1838, is a separate mission to the UK embassy in Tel Aviv, which is the country's main diplomatic interface with Israel within the country. The consulate mainly handles the UK's diplomatic relations with Palestinians in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza.

The BBC quoted a Foreign Office official as saying the government department would not comment on "speculation and live discussions" around the possibility of expulsions.

But Israeli media outlets have been reporting that London is likely to expel up to 27 Israeli diplomats if the East Jerusalem consulate is indeed forced to close.

Matthew Gould, a former UK ambassador to Israel, said on BBC Radio 4's PM program on Tuesday that such a scale of expulsions would do "grievous damage" to ties between the two countries if it was to happen, and would be far more than symbolic.

"When you've got to a stage where you are chucking out the big majority of Israeli diplomats in London, I don't think that's purely symbolic," he said. "I think at that point you're doing really quite serious damage to the structure and the substructure of the relationship."

Emily Thornberry, chair of the UK's foreign affairs committee of the Parliament, questioned whether Israel has the right to close the consulate, and hinted that London may attempt to keep it open, regardless of

Israel's decision.

"Beyond the fact that the closure of the British consulate in

East Jerusalem — occupied Palestinian territory — is not in Israel's prerogative, it is yet another attempt by this far-right Israeli government to block a two-state solution," the BBC quoted her as saying. "It is illegal, and the UK must resist it."

Reuters said 30 UK diplomats are based in the under-threat consulate and would be displaced along with their family members if it was forced to close.

The news agency said four of its sources within the UK Foreign Office confirmed London was indeed planning to respond with the expulsion of Israeli diplomats if the consulate does not get a reprieve. Reuters said the expulsions would likely happen after Israel's legislative elections on Oct 27.

The UK and Israel have traditionally been close partners in sectors including security, intelligence gathering, and the economy

and the expulsion of diplomats between such usually close allies is unusual.

Neither the UK's Foreign Office nor Israel's Foreign Ministry have commented on the situation.

earle@mail.chinadailyuk.com