Disappointment: British PM Breaks Promise to Israel, Jewish Community

Rishi Sunak, who is pro-Israel, nevertheless caves to pressure and reneges on commitment to move British embassy to Jerusalem.

By United with Israel Staff

Britain’s new prime minister has reneged on a commitment made by his predecessor, Liz Truss, to move the country’s embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the UK Jewish News reported.

“It has been looked at,” Sunak’s spokesperson stated on Thursday. “There are no plans to move the British embassy.”

Sunak is apparently caving in to pressure. He was reportedly warned that the “entire governmental system” would be in an uproar if he carried out the promise to move the embassy, made by his predecessor Liz Truss during her mere 44 days in office.

“The PM was left in no doubt of the strength of opposition he would face if he continued to proceed to the embassy proposal,” a source told the Jewish News.

Truss, who touted herself as a “huge Zionist,” had told outgoing Israeli prime minister Yair Lapid on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in September that she was reviewing an embassy move.

Sunak, a 42-year-old former hedge-fund manager of Indian descent, has good relations with Britain’s Jewish community and has voiced support for Israel on several occasions.

During his campaign to take over as head of the Conservative party, Sunak told the Conservative Friends of Israel that Jerusalem is “undisputedly the historic capital.” He supported Truss’s views on relocating Britain’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, saying there was a “strong case” for the move.

“Clearly, there’s a very strong case for it to be recognised … so it is something I would like to do.”