Israel Confirms Rejection of Opening U.S. Consulate for Palestinians in Jerusalem

Israel has intensified its public opposition to the Biden administration's plan to reopen a U.S. consulate for Palestinians in Jerusalem, stating that such a mission should be located in the West Bank. In its effort to repair relations with the Palestinians, the Biden administration has announced its intention to reopen the consulate, although it has not set a date for this. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett told reporters, "My position presented to the Americans... is that there is no place for a U.S. consulate serving Palestinians in Jerusalem. We express our opinion firmly, calmly, and without showcase." Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, who was standing beside him, proposed reopening the consulate at the Palestinian government headquarters in Ramallah, West Bank. The Jerusalem consulate was merged into the U.S. embassy when the administration of former President Donald Trump moved it from Tel Aviv in 2018.