Israel to Close British Consulate Over Settlement Trade Ban
Israel plans to close the British consulate in East Jerusalem and revoke Dutch diplomatic credentials in retaliation for trade bans on settlement goods.
The Government of Israel plans to close the British consulate in East Jerusalem on October 8. This action follows a trade ban on goods from Israeli settlements announced by UK Foreign Secretary Edward Miliband. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar also announced the revocation of credentials for Dutch diplomats from the mission to Palestine after the Netherlands implemented a similar ban on settlement imports on September 22.
These diplomatic measures effectively bar Dutch diplomats from Israeli-controlled East Jerusalem and may force the closure of their representative office in Ramallah. Israel maintains sovereignty over the entirety of Jerusalem, though the UN Security Council has rejected this claim.
Former UK Attorney General Dominic Grieve advised the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office that Israel lacks the legal right to shut the consulate. Grieve argues that because the United Nations and the UK recognize East Jerusalem as occupied Palestinian territory, the closure is an attempt to exercise sovereign control beyond the powers of an occupying force. He further stated that the move would primarily harm Palestinians by hindering reporting and aid delivery in the West Bank and Gaza.
