The British flag still flies in Jerusalem - will Britain flout the Israeli ultimatum?

Less than ten days before the deadline set by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar for closing the British consulate in East Jerusalem, London is considering not complying with the Israeli demand. British sources claim the move is illegal, while Israel shows no intention of backing down. The foundation commissioned a legal opinion from Dominic Grieve, former Attorney General in the Conservative government. In the opinion, obtained by Middle East Eye, Grieve states that Israel claims sovereignty over occupied Palestinian territory in violation of the law, and that its rights in East Jerusalem are limited to those of an occupying power only. He added that the consulate manages the British government's relations with the Palestinians, and its continued operation preserves the position that Jerusalem's final status has yet to be determined. Grieve emphasized that British consuls do not present letters of credence to Israel, so Israel has no authority to revoke them, warning that closure would harm the provision of consular services and oversight of aid to the West Bank and Gaza. The article notes that if these threats are realized, British diplomats could find themselves operating under siege conditions, similar to the situation faced by British embassy staff in Kuwait following the Iraqi invasion in 1990.