Key Facts

• Israel ordered the closure of the UK consulate in East Jerusalem as a reaction to the UK banning trade with settlements considered illegal under international law.
• The UK consulate in East Jerusalem is different from the UK embassy in Tel Aviv, which remains open.
• The consulate offered services to Palestinians in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza.
• The closure marks a low point in UK-Israel relations and has led the UK to consider expelling 27 Israeli diplomats.
• Palestinians are expected to be most affected by the consulate's closure because they lose a key point of diplomatic and consular support.
• The UK consulate was established in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood since 1967 after Israel took control of East Jerusalem during the six-day war.
• The UK gave the consulate a unique diplomatic status, not reporting to ambassadors in Tel Aviv or Amman but directly to the UK Foreign Office.
• The consulate has been a site for Palestinian protests, including events marking the 100th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, which Palestinians associate with the beginning of their struggles.