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## Israel Considers Closing French Consulate Amid Palestine Recognition Dispute
Israel is contemplating the closure of the French consulate in Jerusalem as a retaliatory measure against France‘s recent decision to recognize the State of Palestine. The move was recommended by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week, building on a proposal championed for months by Minister of Diaspora Affairs Amichai chikli [[1]].
During an Israeli cabinet meeting on August 17, Chikli asserted that French President Emmanuel Macron’s commitment to recognizing Palestinian statehood “seriously harmed the hostages and the State of Israel,” and that no declaration would suffice. He advocated for “drastic measures against France, nationalizing its property in Jerusalem and closing the consulate” [[1]].
Saar indicated that the consulate closure process would proceed alongside the pursuit of recognition for a Palestinian State at the United Nations General Assembly in September [[1]].The dispute centers on the role of the French consulate in Jerusalem, with an Israeli official alleging that it “acts provocatively” and is “currently leading an anti-Israelian line” [[1]]. Nicolas Kassianides, the French Consul General in Jerusalem, delivered a message to Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas on July 24, affirming France’s commitment to full recognition of Palestine as a state.
French authorities,however,state they have not received any official notification from Israel regarding the potential closure. The French Foreign Ministry indicated that such a move would “particularly harm our bilateral relationship and lead to a strong reaction” [[1]].
