브리튼, 동예루살렘 콘수라트 폐쇄

The UK flag remained flying over the compound, which sits in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of occupied 동예루살렘(East Jerusalem). The closure follows 이스라엘(Israel)’s order last month for 브리튼(Britain) to shut the consulate within 30 days and remove its diplomats from the city. The move came in response to the UK’s announcement of sanctions targeting Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including a trade ban on goods made there.

The consulate, established in 1967 after the Six-Day War, had long served as a direct liaison between The UK and Palestinian communities in 동예루살렘, the West Bank, and Gaza. The closure marks the lowest point in UK-Israeli relations for decades, with reports indicating the UK is considering a retaliatory expulsion of 27 Israeli diplomats from London. Despite the current strains, the UK and 이스라엘 remain close economic, security, and intelligence partners.

The UK’s presence in the city dates back almost 200 years, long before the state of 이스라엘 was established in 1948. The compound was originally purchased by the UK government in 1963, when 동예루살렘 was still under Jordanian control. It took four years to build and was completed just weeks before the Six-Day War broke out, when 이스라엘 captured 동예루살렘 from Jordanian forces.

The first consul-general to move into the building, John Henry Lewen, assumed his post under Israeli control. The closure now means 팔레스타인인(Palestinians) in 동예루살렘, the West Bank, and Gaza will lose access to consular services previously provided by the UK. Amjad Iraqi, the International Crisis Group’s senior analyst on 이스라엘 and Palestine, said the Israeli government’s response was primarily about blocking the UK’s ability to support 팔레스타인인, not about the core of UK-Israeli relations.

The closure does not affect the UK’s embassy in 텔아비브(Tel Aviv), which continues to handle diplomatic relations with 이스라엘’s government. 이스라엘 has already curtailed the diplomatic activities of the Netherlands, Spain, and Norway in the occupied West Bank. “We have seen very little but studies and words, no action from the international community,” said Abu Abdo.

The consulate’s closure is a dramatic end to a tenure marked by political upheaval since 1967. The UK had sought to keep the consulate open, including sending its top national security adviser to 이스라엘 last week for talks. The UK consulate in 동예루살렘 is separate from the UK embassy in 텔아비브 – which remains open – and provides services to 팔레스타인인 in 동예루살렘, the West Bank and Gaza, services they will now lose.