Don’t move the British Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem

JVL Introduction

In its latest newsletter, Yachad, “the pro-Israel, pro-peace movement for British Jews”, has spoken out strongly against the call to move the British Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Yachad protests against the undemocratic decision of  the Board of Deputies of British Jews to support this call, “without warning or consultation from the community or deputies”.

Many JVL members will not be particularly sympathetic to Yachad’s general politics but this report from it shows quite how arbitrary can be the actions of tbe Board of Deputies which claims to be “the voice of the UK Jewish community”.

And of course we support all efforts to oppose moving the embassy to Jerusalem which would be an unwarranted, provocative and indeed illegal move.

Yachad writes

Last week, Marie van der Zyl, President of the Board of Deputies, spoke at the Conservative Friends of Israel event at the Conservative Party Conference and called for the British Embassy in Israel to be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Her call to action took place without warning or consultation from the community or deputies.

Click here today to tell her that you disagree.

Both Israelis and Palestinians consider Jerusalem to be their capital. Whilst West Jerusalem serves as the capital of Israel, the international consensus is that the permanent status of the entire city of Jerusalem must be agreed as part of a political resolution, as set out in the Oslo accords, and until one is reached, embassies remain in Tel Aviv.

Changes to the status-quo of this holy and divided city can cause tensions, protests and violence to erupt in the region. An embassy move would serve to normalise the status quo: a status quo where one state is being named, empowered and strengthened, and the other occupied and not even recognised by the UK government.

We want to see our communal leaders supporting work towards a political resolution; not adding to the problem.

Thank you for your continued commitment to speaking out.

Hannah Weisfeld
Director, Yachad