Arab diplomats urge Liz Truss not to move embassy to Jerusalem

Arab ambassadors in the UK have written to Liz Truss to protest at what they say is “an illegal and ill-judged” plan to move the British embassy to Jerusalem.

Amongst those to send a private letter to the Prime Minister are diplomats from Gulf States that have been supportive of the Abraham Accords initiative with Israel, the Guardian reports.

There are also claims the plan to move the embassy from its current location in Tel Aviv could jeopardise talks on a free trade deal between the UK and the Gulf Cooperation Council due to be completed this year.

During the Tory leadership campaign, the PM confirmed to Conservative Friends of Israel that she would “review” of the location of the UK embassy.

During a bilateral meeting in New York with the Israeli prime minister, Yair Lapid, she again confirmed the possible embassy move.

One former diplomat told the Guardian that Truss “seems to think she should ape Donald Trump. ”

They added:”The difference is that the US is big enough to get its way in the Middle East. The UK is not.

“If the UK shifted its embassy it would have a domino effect amongst some countries in the European Union, such as Hungary, but probably not, and will damage British interest in the Arab world.”

The private letter has been signed by all of the Arab countries, but those who have backed the Abraham Accords are believed to have been particularly angered by the possible embassy move.

Representatives from these states fear they will be blamed at home for being too friendly to Israel.

Husam Zomlot, the Palestinian ambassador in London, added: “Any embassy move would be a blatant violation of international law and the UK’s historic responsibilities.

“It undermines the two-state solution and inflames an already volatile situation in Jerusalem, the rest of the occupied territories, and among communities in the UK and worldwide. It would be disastrous.”