British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband with a statement regarding the British Consulate in East Jerusalem️:

British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband with a statement regarding the British Consulate in East Jerusalem️:

"We made it clear that we do not recognize the legal right of the Israeli government to close the British Consulate General in Jerusalem, which has been operating in the city for nearly 200 years. The British government reiterates its longstanding position that East Jerusalem is occupied territory.

Following discussions with the Israeli government, our Consulate General building will not be closed, and starting today it will be called the 'British Representation in Jerusalem'. The British Representation in Jerusalem is an independent and active body, and it will continue to provide vital services and carry out our activities with the Palestinian people.

This is how we will ensure the continuation of the longstanding British presence in Jerusalem and Britain's role in advancing the two-state solution.

Without understandings on the matter, we would not have had the necessary guarantees for the security and protection of our staff and the representation's facilities. Therefore, Britain temporarily evacuated some staff members and their families to ensure their safety and security.

In the coming months we will work to restore our presence, and we will not take retaliatory steps as long as these discussions continue and are conducted in a serious and credible manner.

Britain firmly stands behind the steps we took on September 8, in coordination with the international community, to support the two-state solution, with the aim of bringing peace and security to the peoples of Israel and Palestine."