In brief
Following Israel’s threat to close its East Jerusalem consulate, 20 British diplomats will depart while a limited team stays in the building. The UK insists the mission will continue to operate, focusing on cooperation with Palestinian people. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar expressed regret over the move, whereas UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband affirmed the mission’s ongoing role amid tensions over settlement sanctions.
Most UK diplomats will leave the British consulate in occupied East Jerusalem, Israel says, but the UK insists the building "will not be closing", and will operate as a "UK Mission".
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar wrote on social media that 20 diplomats and the Consul General would leave the facility, while a task force of seven could remain inside "with a very limited scope of activity".
UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband responded that some staff had been "temporarily withdrawn" for security reasons, but stressed that the mission will "work with the Palestinian people".
Israel warned in September it would close the consulate in retaliation for UK sanctions on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, which it claims are illegal under international law.
