The UK Foreign Office has created fear and confusion after urging British nationals to register their presence in Israel but not to leave

At the same time that the UK government removed families of Foreign Office officials due to security concerns, it advised British nationals to remain and follow local guidance – prompting questions over whether the approaches are consistent.

The Guardian reports: While the dependents of diplomatic staff were flown out as a “precautionary measure”, with staff remaining at the embassy in Tel Aviv and the consulate in Jerusalem, the broader travel advice has not changed. British nationals currently in Israel are being urged to register their presence online, but are not being advised to leave.

Instead they are being told to monitor Israeli government alerts and make individual decisions based on their location and circumstances.

Although thousands of people currently in Israel or the occupied Palestinian territories are understood to have registered their presence with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the government has not moved to advise a general departure.

Israel and Iran have exchanged fire over the past six days after Israel launched air strikes which it said were aimed at preventing Iran developing a nuclear weapon. Iranian officials insist the country’s nuclear programme is peaceful.

The disparity in approach has prompted confusion and a growing sense of unfairness, particularly among those questioning why the government acted pre-emptively to protect its own personnel but not ordinary citizens.

It is understood that the department believes the two positions are consistent, citing a distinct duty of care to diplomatic staff.

The decision to remove family members was based on the view that they are non-essential and more exposed to movement-related risks.

For the wider public, the guidance remains to monitor Israeli government alerts and remain close to shelters where advised.

Ministers say the overall threat level is being closely monitored, with consular teams deployed across Israel and neighbouring countries.

The Foreign Office has said land borders with Jordan and Egypt remain open, and consular teams are in a position to provide assistance to British nationals who choose to leave Israel by land.

But officials maintain that the threshold for advising a general departure has not yet been reached, pointing instead to the continued availability of commercial flights and overland border crossings into Egypt and Jordan