RAMALLAH, October 8, 2026 (WAFA) — British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband reaffirmed on Thursday his country’s steadfast position that East Jerusalem is occupied territory and rejected an Israeli order to close the British Consulate General in Jerusalem.
Miliband said the Israeli government has no legal authority to close the British Consulate General in Jerusalem, stressing that the consulate building will not be closed. Instead, it will be renamed the “UK Mission in Jerusalem” effective Thursday, while continuing its work and engagement with the Palestinian people.
He added that Britain had temporarily withdrawn a number of consular staff and their family members from Jerusalem to ensure their safety and security.
Britain had previously imposed a ban on imports of goods from Israeli settlements and sanctions on individuals and companies contributing to settlement expansion. It has also criticized colonist violence and the Israeli government’s failure to address it, prompting Israel to issue a decision to expel the British consul from Jerusalem.
Miliband reiterated Britain’s opposition to settlements and its position that East Jerusalem is occupied territory, stressing that the UK will continue to work with the Palestinian people.
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