UK scales back Jerusalem consulate as Colombia opens embassy in city
publishers 54articles 79first reported 5 Oct, 13:05 UTCdeveloping since 5 Oct · 21 editions
Britain will reduce and rename its consulate general in East Jerusalem after Israel ordered it closed in retaliation for planned UK sanctions targeting Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Under an agreement reached after talks between the two governments, the building in Sheikh Jarrah will remain open as the UK Mission, Jerusalem, with seven diplomats. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said 20 other diplomats, including the consul general, would end their assignments and that the remaining team’s activities would be limited.
British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said the mission would remain independent and continue providing services and working with Palestinians. He said Britain did not accept that Israel had the legal authority to close the consulate and would seek to rebuild its presence through further talks. The mission, which handles British relations with Palestinians in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza, traces its history to the 19th century.
Separately, Colombia inaugurated an embassy in West Jerusalem on Wednesday, becoming the 10th country with an embassy in the city. Colombian Foreign Minister Omar Bula Escobar and Saar attended the ceremony.
The move follows President Abelardo de la Espriella’s restoration of relations with Israel after his predecessor, Gustavo Petro, severed ties in 2024 over the war in Gaza. The Palestinian Authority condemned Colombia’s decision as contrary to international resolutions on Jerusalem’s status, while Jordan also criticised it as a violation of international law. Israel claims all of Jerusalem as its capital, while Palestinians seek East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 7 with the publisher's own text; 8 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 219 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
- Publishers
- 54
- Source articles
- 79
- Given to the writer
- 8, 7 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 8
- This version written
- 219 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- kept as written
- Publication gate
- passed
- Human review
- none
WHAT THE EDITOR DID
The second model checked the writer's draft against the same sources and published it as written.
Written by a language model from the sources above, then checked by a second model that may only cut, attribute or correct. How it works →