Palestine legal group warns will take legal action if UK relocates embassy to Al-Quds

The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians delivered Liz a comprehensive legal opinion prepared by human rights law firm, Bindmans LLP, insisting that Britain would violate its obligation under the Geneva Conventions and "not to encourage, aid or assist violations of the Conventions by another State".

This comes as the UK's Prime Minister confirmed with her Israeli counterpart, Yair Lapid, that her government is considering relocating the embassy, despite Palestinian leaders warning that moving the embassy would undermine the two-state solution and destroy their relations with Britain.

The ICJP concludes that moving the embassy to Jerusalem would constitute a violation of the UK's obligations under international law as it would imply recognition of unilateral legislative, administrative and other measures adopted by Israel in relation to Al-Quds.

These measures, it explained, which include Israel's enactment of Basic Law 1980 declaring that Al-Quds is Israel's "complete and united" capital, have been denied by the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council and, in fact, constitutes a violation of international law.

Therefore, "the UK's obligations under the Geneva Conventions of 1949 require that the UK does everything in its power to ensure respect for those Conventions by other States and non-State parties to a conflict," wrote Tayab Ali, an ICJP Director and partner at the law firm, Bindmans, in his letter to Liz Truss.

"These obligations include a positive obligation to take all available measures, including diplomatic measures, to ensure that Israel respects its obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention, with respect to its ongoing occupation of the Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem," he added.

Crispin Blunt, the Conservative MP and a Director at the ICJP, said: "This opinion of independent legal counsel, expert in their field, reinforces the massive concentration of diplomatic, religious and political concern over the review around moving the UK's embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem."

"The fact that the UK is apparently seriously considering this is already causing serious reputational damage, not least to our inherited responsibilities to be at least balanced to Palestinian aspirations that have been so betrayed in the grim reality that has followed in the century since the Balfour declaration."

"This review needs to conclude now with the endorsement of the status quo."