Staff at the British consulate in occupied East Jerusalem have taken down the mission's signage as the closure deadline set by Israel expired, deepening tensions between the two allies.
A Reuters correspondent saw workers remove a sign reading "British Consulate General" from the building on Thursday, along with another sign for the consular section. The British flag remained flying on the building.
Thursday marked 30 days since Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar ordered the closure of the consulate in occupied East Jerusalem. The move was a response to a wave of British sanctions targeting illegal Israeli settlements, including a ban on imports of goods produced there.
The United Nations and most countries consider the settlements illegal under international law. Israel disputes this position.
Britain had threatened to expel 27 Israeli diplomats if Israel went ahead with the closure of the consulate in occupied East Jerusalem, according to unverified Israeli media reports.
The consulate did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Israel has insisted the consulate will close even though Britain sought to keep it operating, including by sending its top national security adviser to Israel last week for talks.
Britain's presence in the city dates back nearly 200 years, long before the state of Israel was established in 1948. The closure order does not affect the British embassy in Tel Aviv, which handles diplomatic relations with the Israeli government.
The consulate, located in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem, handles Britain's relations with Palestinians in Jerusalem, as well as in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. It also provides consular services to Palestinians.
Britain's Foreign Office declined to comment on Wednesday when asked whether the consulate was still operating or whether diplomats working there had returned to Britain.
Despite the current tensions, Britain and Israel remain close economic, security and intelligence partners.
