LONDON: Palestine’s ambassador to the UK, Husam Zomlot, has appealed for “comprehensive protection” after a group of Zionist activists attacked his embassy last Saturday, The Guardian has reported.
Masked activists were seen waving Israeli flags while posing at the entrance to the embassy in Hammersmith, west London. The building was also plastered with stickers bearing phrases including “I love the IDF.”
On Sept. 22, the embassy hosted a flag-raising ceremony after the UK formally recognized the Palestinian state, upgrading the diplomatic status of what had previously been the Palestinian mission to Britain.
Despite the upgrade, no changes to security arrangements have been made, and fears are now mounting over the safety of its staff.
A post on Facebook called for another demonstration outside the building on Friday, Dec. 5.
It said: “A hardcore group of Zionists have decided it’s time for direct action to challenge the haters and give them a taste of their own medicine. Bring your union jack and Israeli flags and your megaphones.
“We’re calling for an end to Hamas and PIJ (Palestinian Islamic Jihad) terrorism once and for all.”
The embassy has no affiliation with either militant group, and is part of the Palestinian Authority.
Zomlot said: “To those responsible, we clearly say your actions will not deter us. We will continue to advance Palestine-UK relations and defend the rights and lives of the Palestinian people.
“We have formally requested the British authorities to provide immediate and comprehensive protection for the embassy and our personnel from such attacks. We call on them to investigate this incident fully and hold those responsible accountable.”
In 2023, when the embassy was still the Palestinian mission, its staff reported four attacks in the space of a few weeks. They also received death threats.
Officials said that the lack of diplomatic protection provided to embassy staff had been “inexplicable and unacceptable.”
Other stickers posted on the building last week included one with a star of David placed over the union flag with the slogan: “We are not Jews trembling at the knees.”
Host states of missions and embassies are required to undertake a “special duty” to protect premises from damage or surveillance, according to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
In a statement, the Palestinian Embassy described the events of last Saturday as a “flagrant breach of diplomatic laws and customs and the rules of international law.”
Palestinian missions outside of the UK, including in France, often receive permanent security and their ambassadors are sometimes given close protection.
A spokesperson for London’s Metropolitan Police told The Guardian: “We take the security and safety of the diplomatic community extremely seriously. Security arrangements at diplomatic premises, overseen by the Met’s parliamentary and diplomatic protection command, are based on an assessment of risk and are constantly reviewed.”
