Sa’ar must stand by his decision to close the British Consulate in Jerusalem - opinion

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar made a significant diplomatic decision last month – to close the British Consulate General in Jerusalem. Now comes the more important test – standing by that decision and seeing it through.

The UK makes no secret of its position regarding Jerusalem. The British government’s official website states that the British Consulate General in Jerusalem represents the UK government in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza, and works to advance political, security, and economic interests between the United Kingdom and the Palestinians.

Britain also makes clear that it does not recognize Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem and regards east Jerusalem as occupied territory.

That is precisely the problem.

For years, a foreign diplomatic mission has operated in Jerusalem, the capital of the State of Israel, independently of the British embassy in Israel, with much of its diplomatic activity directed toward the Palestinian Authority. This exceptional arrangement is rooted in historical circumstances that predate the establishment of the State of Israel.

A sovereign state is not required to accept such an arrangement indefinitely simply because it existed in the past.

On September 8, Sa’ar announced the closure of the British Consulate General in Jerusalem as part of a series of measures taken in response to the UK government’s recent policy toward Israel. According to official statements and media reports, the decision was coordinated with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israel is now facing pressure to reverse course.

In Britain, arguments are already being made that Israel has no authority to close the consulate because the UK does not recognize east Jerusalem as part of Israel’s sovereign territory. A legal opinion published in Britain has even called on the British government to oppose the Israeli move.

That is precisely why Israel must not back down.

This debate is no longer merely about a building on Rajeib Nashashibi Street in Sheikh Jarrah. It concerns a much more fundamental question: Who determines the rules governing diplomatic activity in Jerusalem – the government of Israel, or a foreign government that does not recognize Israeli sovereignty in its capital?

Israel should not sever its relations with Britain. On the contrary, Britain is an important country, and Israel has a clear interest in maintaining strong diplomatic, security, and economic relations with it. That is the purpose of a British embassy in Israel.

Israel must retain its sovereignty

But good relations between countries cannot come at the expense of the principle of sovereignty.

If Britain wishes to provide consular services to its citizens in Jerusalem, it can do so through an appropriate framework acceptable to Israel. If it wishes to maintain relations with the Palestinian Authority, it can do so through accepted channels and in accordance with the relevant arrangements. 

But there is no justification for an independent diplomatic mission operating in Jerusalem as though Israeli sovereignty in the city were something that could simply be bypassed.

Sa’ar’s decision could mark a turning point in Israel’s policy toward Jerusalem. For years, Israel has called on countries worldwide to recognize Jerusalem as its capital and relocate their embassies to the city. In recent years, additional countries have indeed opened embassies in Jerusalem or announced their intention to do so.

But alongside the effort to bring more embassies to Jerusalem, Israel also needs a clear policy toward diplomatic missions operating in the city while denying Israeli sovereignty over it.

The message needed to be conveyed to Sa’ar now: You made a clear decision consistent with the sovereignty policy you have presented. Now it must be carried through.

Do not be deterred by diplomatic pressure. Do not allow a principled decision to become the subject of endless negotiations. And do not create a precedent in which pressure from a foreign government is enough to make Israel reverse a decision concerning the status of its own capital.

Closing the British consulate need not be an act against Britain. It can and should be an affirmation of a simple principle: countries that wish to maintain diplomatic relations with Israel must do so while respecting its sovereignty.

Jerusalem is not a diplomatic no-man’s-land.

Mr. foreign minister, do not stop halfway. You made the decision – now see it through.

The writer is chairman of the Jerusalem Center for Applied Policy (JCAP).