British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband confirmed the United Kingdom is considering defying the Israeli order to close the British consulate in occupied East Jerusalem, saying the government does not want that to happen, according to Middle East Eye.

The Israeli government ordered the closure in retaliation for British sanctions on illegal settlements, setting a deadline of 8 October, the same outlet reported. Former attorney general Dominic Grieve advised the UK Foreign Office that Israel has no legal right to act on its plan to close the consulate in East Jerusalem, according to The Guardian.