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Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said it had told the US that reopening the Consulate General in west Jerusalem, which has traditionally served as the US diplomatic headquarters for the Palestinians, was a “bad idea.”
“We think it’s a bad idea, and we’ve told America that we think it’s a bad idea,” Lapid said in a statement, as reported by Anadolu Agency on Thursday (2/9/2021).
“That move, he said, would send the wrong message, not only to the region, not only to Palestine, but also to other countries, and we don’t want this to happen.” Also read: US Warns Palestinian Families ‘Not to Be Expelled’ from Jerusalem
Despite protests from Israel, US State Department spokesman Ned Price said Washington would continue with its plans. “We will continue the process of reopening our consulate in Jerusalem,” he said.
The building, which was built before the creation of the state of Israel, was closed by former President Donald Trump in 2019 when he moved the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and recognized the contested city as Israel’s capital. The function of the consulate was later changed to an embassy.
It is not yet clear whether by reopening the consulate in Jerusalem, whether the US will again move its embassy in Israel to Telv Aviv or retain all of their representatives in Jerusalem. Also read: Israeli Prime Minister Punishes Defense Minister for Meeting Palestinian President
(ian)
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