PLAN TO MOVE BRITAIN’S EMBASSY IN TEL AVIV DROPPED

The British government has announced cancellation of the controversial plan to move its embassy in Tel Aviv to a property owned by a company linked with building illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied territories. The controversial plan provoked protests from Palestinian human rights groups last year that the UK was contravening its declared policy of opposing illegal Israel settlements by leasing offices in Hakirya Tower. At least eight advocacy groups and prominent opponents of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories launched a letter writing campaign to the Foreign Office in September 2008. Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights said that renting space from Africa-Isael “would be tantamount to condoning Israel’s colony building, supporting clear violations of international law, in some cases amounting to grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention” and “in violation of third party obligations”. The Foreign Office’s initial reaction to the protests was to insist that “no decision on a site has been taken and no leases have been signed.” But now, the Foreign Office Minister Bill Rammell said, “We can confirm that we have withdrawn from negotiations on a lease for the Hakirya Tower premises and we continue to explore solutions to ensure that we have suitable embassy premises in Tel Aviv.”