Has Israel shut the UK consulate in East Jerusalem – or downgraded it?

What the report says

Israel has removed the signage from the British consulate in occupied East Jerusalem and ordered 20 British diplomats, including the consul general, to leave the country, in a move described by Al Jazeera as part of worsening UK-Israel relations. British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said the building itself would stay open, but the post would be renamed the “UK Mission, Jerusalem,” and the UK would keep a reduced presence while discussions continue.

According to the report, Israel said the step was retaliation for Britain’s decision last month to ban trade with goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said his government was also ending some British activity linked to Gaza assistance and Palestinian Authority training, while blocking entry to some British officials and other citizens. Al Jazeera reported that the British government did not accept Israel’s move and stressed that its mission would remain operational.

The article says the change matters because the consulate has long symbolized Britain’s diplomatic role in Jerusalem and its support for a two-state solution. A former British consul general told Al Jazeera the label change was less important than the fact that a presence remained. The report also notes the legal dispute: Israel does not have sovereignty over East Jerusalem under international law, though it controls access and day-to-day function there.