London is evaluating multiple courses of action in the wake of Israel's decision to end the presence of the UK's independent diplomatic mission in Jerusalem, with defiance apparently being one of them.
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband told LBC News the Israeli decision – which comes in retaliation to the UK's newly announced sanctions on Israeli settlements – was flawed and that Jerusalem lacked the legitimacy to "morally" pursue that step, adding that it is "completely the wrong thing for them to do...it doesn't help anyone."
When told by host Andrew Marr, "There is a case, is there not, for us just refusing to go, including just not moving," Miliband deflected, saying, "We are looking at all our options on this. We do not want this to happen, it would damage the very important work that we are doing, helping people in those communities, including Palestinians." When asked if Israel lacked the ability to vacate the premises "physically," he simply responded, "Let's see, I'm going to be circumspect in what I say about this but we're looking at all our options."
Miliband stressed that the facility "has operated for nearly 200 years," referring to the fact that the UK has run this consulate general since before Israel's establishment, and has made it separate from the embassy – i.e., it reports directly to the Foreign Office rather than to the ambassador, who is stationed in Tel Aviv because the country won't recognize Jerusalem as the capital.
The UK's decision to impose sanctions on settlements was announced in early September, coming just weeks after Miliband was sworn in as the foreign secretary in the new government formed by Andy Burnham. The newly minted prime minister has catered to Labour's anti-Israel wing much more than his predecessor Keir Starmer. The UK measures include a ban on trade in goods produced in Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria.
In response to the measures, Israel's Foreign Ministry told the staff at the consulate to leave and said the UK would be removed from a US-led coordination mission for Gaza.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar characterized Britain's move in unusually harsh terms. "The British move is morally distorted, and constitutes blatant interference in the affairs of a sovereign state and its electoral process," he said, dismissing Miliband's explanations to Parliament on the move as "outrageous lies."
