Sri Lanka has not established new consulates in Israel: FM

Colombo, September 16 (Daily Mirror)-  Claiming that Sri Lanka has not established any new consulates nor made additional honorary consul appointments in Israel, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry said Sri Lanka continues to maintain its official embassy in Tel Aviv, which has been the sole diplomatic mission in Israel since 2000.

He said in a statement posted on X that the embassy remains fully operational, serving as the primary diplomatic channel between the two countries.

The statement said Sri Lanka has appointed an honorary consul in the Haifa region to extend consular support to Sri Lankans living and working in the area. 

"This appointment, made before the events of 7th 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," he said.

He said since 7th October 2023, Sri Lanka has not established any new consulates nor made additional honorary consul appointments in Israel and that any claims suggesting otherwise are inaccurate and do not reflect the official position or actions of the Sri Lankan government.

"It is customary for honorary consuls to relocate their offices within their jurisdiction based on personal or business considerations. These relocations are purely administrative and should not be misinterpreted as the establishment of new consular offices," he said.

The Ministry encouraged 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.