Sri Lanka issues clarification on diplomatic relations with Israel

Sri Lanka has issued a clarification on the island nation’s diplomatic representation in Israel, in response to recent public discussions surrounding the country’s diplomatic presence in Israel, in order to prevent any misunderstandings.

Accordingly, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry stated that Sri Lanka continues to maintain its official embassy in Tel Aviv, which has been the sole diplomatic mission in Israel since 2000. “The embassy remains fully operational, serving as the primary diplomatic channel between the two countries”, he said in a post on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter).

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka has appointed an honorary consul in the Haifa region to extend consular support to Sri Lankans living and working in the area, the Minister clarified, adding that this appointment, made before the events of 07 October 2023, adheres to standard international practices. 

“Honorary consuls, typically citizens of the host country, voluntarily provide essential consular services. The honorary consul in Haifa continues to offer such services, operating from an office they maintain in a voluntary capacity”, Sabry highlighted.

Additionally, the Foreign Minister expressed that since the date, Sri Lanka has not established any new consulates nor made additional honorary consul appointments in Israel. “Any claims suggesting otherwise are inaccurate and do not reflect the official position or actions of the Sri Lankan government,” he said.

He also noted that it is customary for honorary consuls to relocate their offices within their jurisdiction based on personal or business considerations, mentioning that these relocations are purely administrative and should not be misinterpreted as the establishment of new consular offices.

“We encourage the public and media to rely on verified and official sources for accurate information regarding Sri Lanka’s diplomatic activities and to avoid being influenced by unfounded or incomplete reports”, the minister added.