LONDON: Jordan reaffirmed its support on Thursday for the UK government’s decision to maintain its diplomatic presence in the contested city of East Jerusalem, which serves Palestinians. Israel told British authorities to close the consulate within 30 days in retaliation for broad UK penalties and a trade restriction on items manufactured in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Fuad Majali, condemned the “illegal” Israeli move, which threatened to close the diplomatic post in the Shiekh Jarrah neighbourhood, and rejected any attempts to disrupt its operations or jeopardise its diplomatic immunity, according to the Jordan News Agency.
East Jerusalem is occupied Palestinian territory over which Israel holds no sovereignty,” he stated. On Wednesday, the day Israel’s 30-day deadline expired, British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said that, in a last-minute compromise, the diplomatic office would continue operating but be scaled back and renamed UK office, Jerusalem. We have been clear that we do not accept that the Government of Israel has the legal right to close the British Consulate General in Jerusalem, which has been there for nearly 200 years,” Miliband stated.
The UK government reiterates its longstanding position that East Jerusalem is occupied territory. The UK Mission in Jerusalem remains independent and active, and we will continue to provide critical services and cooperate with the Palestinian people. Britain’s diplomatic and missionary presence in Jerusalem began in 1838, when it established its first mission there during Egypt’s brief reign over the city.
Also Read:
ICC Condemns US Sanctions as a “Flagrant Attack” on Court Independence
