Moving UK Embassy in Israel would be a British Betrayal

Liz Truss has consistently condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and insisted that it can never be right to change borders by force. In her keynote address to the Conservative Party Conference she reiterated her Government’s rejection of Russia’s “illegal” annexation of Ukrainian territory. The Foreign Office has issued a series of strong statements affirming that Luhansk, Donestsk, Zaporhizia, Kherson and Crimea are Ukrainian. 

Yet, almost unnoticed by the British press, late last month, Truss announced she was considering moving the UK’s embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem – a move that would represent a complete betrayal of the very principles she claims to be upholding in respect of Ukraine. 

It is 50 years since the Six Day War in 1967, when Israel routed the armies of Egypt, Jordan and Syria, captured the Gaza Strip and the Sinai desert from Egypt; the Golan Heights from Syria; and the West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan. 

The Israelis went on to annex East Jerusalem and Sinai, and establish tight control over the rest of the occupied territories, in moves which were never recognised by the international community. Israel has since built numerous housing settlements for Jews in the Occupied Territories, in violation of the 4th Geneva Convention which states that “an occupying power shall not transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies”.

The United Nations Security Council, its General Assembly, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Court of Justice, and the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Convention have all agreed that Israeli settlements are illegal under Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

While successive UK governments have staunchly defended Israel’s right to exist; condemned rocket attacks on it from Gaza; opposed the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel; and criticised what is sees as the UN’s one-sided approach to the conflict, up until now the UK has always held fast to two core principles: that Israeli settlements on Palestinian-occupied territory are illegal; and that the status of Jerusalem can only be resolved through negotiations with the Palestinians…

Alexandra Hall Hall for the Byline Times.