Sunak abandons Truss' plan to move UK Embassy in 'Israel' to Al-Quds

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UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has abandoned his predecessor Liz Truss' plan to relocate the British embassy from Tel Aviv to Al-Quds, Downing Street has stated on Thursday, according to British media.

Then-British PM Liz Truss informed Israeli occupation Prime Minister Yair Lapid in September that she was considering relocating the United Kingdom's Embassy to occupied Al-Quds.

The two met on the sidelines of the 77th UNGA session, where, according to a spokeswoman for the British PM, Truss told Lapid "about her review of the current location of the British Embassy in Israel," The Guardian reported. 

Arab ambassadors in London commented on the plan by saying it was "illegal and ill-judged," urging Truss to abandon it.

"It has been looked at. There are no plans to move the British embassy," a Downing Street spokesperson was quoted as saying.

Husam Zomlot, the Palestinian Ambassador to the UK, has welcomed Sunak's decision, British media said.

In 2017, the UK was one of the 128 countries that backed a resolution condemning then-US President Donald Trump’s decision to relocate the Israeli embassy to Al-Quds, with the resolution calling on countries not to move their offices.

Only a handful of embassies have relocated from "Tel Aviv" to occupied Al-Quds, including those of the United States, Guatemala, Moldova, Romania, and Honduras. However, other embassies see this move as a security threat, notably given Al-Quds' unique place as the Palestinian capital, which, in turn, means that they reject the recognition of Al-Quds as the Israeli occupation's "capital".