Letter to Rt Hon James Cleverly MP Concerning the UK Embassy in Israel

UK and Israel

Professor Iain GM Scobbie, Co-Director of the Manchester International Law Centre, has written to Rt Hon James Cleverly MP, UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, concerning any review of the location of the United Kingdom Embassy in Israel.

In September 2022, then Prime Minister Liz Truss reportedly indicated to the Israeli Prime Minister that the UK would ‘review’ the location of the UK Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Such a move would recognise Israel’s claim that Jerusalem is Israel’s capital.

Professor Scobbie has noted that ‘there is nothing to review’ after concluding that such a move of the UK embassy would mean that ‘United Kingdom in a breach of its obligations under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations to which it is a party, as is Israel.’

The letter has been signed by 27 international law experts. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here.