Israel says Biden may shelve plan to reopen US consulate in Jerusalem

470
1
Israel says Biden may shelve plan to reopen US consulate in Jerusalem

An American flag flutters at the premises of the former United States Consulate General in Jerusalem March 4, 2019. REUTERS Ammar Awad REUTERS

JERUSALEM, Oct 24 Reuters - Israel's deputy foreign minister said on Sunday that the Biden administration may shelve its plan to reopen a U.S diplomatic mission for Palestinians in Jerusalem after Israel voiced opposition to such a move.

The Jerusalem consulate was moved to the U.S. Embassy that was subsumed from Tel Aviv in 2018 by the administration of former President Donald Trump to the contested city - a reversal of U.S. policy hailed by Israel and condemned by Palestinians.

This month, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated Washington's plan to reopen the consulate as part of efforts to repair Palestinian ties. He did not give timelines. I believe that I have good reason to think this will not happen, Deputy Foreign Minister Idan Roll told Israel's Ynet TV.

The Americans understand the complexity of politics, Roll said. We have very good relations We don't believe in surprising them. U.S. Embassy spokespeople could not immediately be reached for comment.

Israel declares Jerusalem its undivided capital and says it would not consent to reopening the consulate. The Palestinians want the city's east for their own future, hoped-for state.

Reopening the consulate could weaken Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and undermine his fragile cross-partisan government, Israeli officials have argued.