According to a report by The Jerusalem Post, Israel is considering shutting down France’s historic Consulate General in Jerusalem, a move that has prompted sharp warnings from Paris and raised the prospect of a new diplomatic clash.
According to French daily Le Figaro, Israel’s Foreign Ministry has informed Paris of the possible closure, which would mark a significant escalation in already strained ties. The consulate, founded in 1843, manages France’s diplomatic relations with Palestinians in east Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza, while also serving around 25,000 French nationals in the western part of the city.
A senior adviser to President Emmanuel Macron insisted that France has firm legal grounds to resist any attempt to shutter the mission. “Law matters and, in law, Jerusalem is a corpus separatum [a special-status entity],” the adviser said. “We can refuse this closure to the Israelis. They also have an embassy in Paris. If they want to play, we can play.”
The official stressed that France continues to contribute to Israel’s security, pointing to its coordination on Iran’s nuclear activities and drone threats.
French diplomats signaled that retaliation could extend beyond traditional reciprocal measures. One source at the Quai d’Orsay warned of “extremely firm measures” that could go beyond standard mirror actions. Options reportedly under review include closing an Israeli consulate in France, restricting diplomatic privileges, or contesting French property rights in Jerusalem, such as the Tomb of the Kings.
In recent months, Paris has already taken steps seen as signaling discontent. It has refused to renew visas for El Al Airlines’ security staff in France, a measure reportedly linked to friction over security checks imposed on French diplomats.
Despite the harsh rhetoric, some French officials acknowledged the limits of Paris’s leverage, noting that broader European sanctions would be blocked by Germany and Hungary. Still, France maintains that its Jerusalem mission is a “fully fledged diplomatic post, not a simple consulate,” suggesting that any Israeli move against it would be seen as especially grave.
At the Élysée Palace, advisers expressed hope that Israel might reconsider, highlighting that other nations — including Spain and Turkey — have maintained consulates in Jerusalem even after recognizing Palestinian statehood.
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