Opening a PA Consulate in Jerusalem is intended to undue Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital
By Eugene Kontorovich, ISRAEL HAYOM
The Biden administration is trying to partially undo one of Israel’s greatest diplomatic achievements of recent decades — the recognition of Israel’s sovereignty over all of Jerusalem by the United States, followed by numerous other countries. The good news is unlike with many diplomatic attacks, the Israeli government has the power to stop this one. The United States is pushing to open up a new diplomatic office in Jerusalem — one that would be directed to the Palestinian Authority. The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem already provides consular services to the Palestinians. It is unheard of for a country to have an independent consulate in the same city where it already has an embassy. The point of creating a separate consulate is to undermine former U.S. President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem. But under international law, the United States would need Israel’s permission for this move.
The United States does not want to open a consulate merely to have a place for diplomatic liaisons with the P.A. If that were all they wanted, they could easily accomplish it by opening a mission in Abu Dis or Ramallah — where most other countries conduct their relations with the P.A. Or they could reopen the Palestinian mission in Washington, D.C., which Trump also closed.
By instead demanding that Israel accede to a consulate in Jerusalem, the administration is showing that this is not just about having a convenient place for coffee with P.A. leader Mahmoud Abbas.
Indeed, the purpose of opening the consulate is to recognize Palestinian claims to Jerusalem. If the P.A. has no legitimate claim to Jerusalem, there can be no reason to have a consulate there. To be sure, this is why opening the consulate is the main Israel-related policy demand of radically anti-Israel Rep. Ilhan Omar.
Point of fact: Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Daniel Shapiro made it clear prior to the last U.S. election that opening a separate consulate to the Palestinians would signal U.S. support for a Palestinian capital in that city.
It is true that the United States had a consulate in Jerusalem since 1844, which was separate from the embassy. But that is because the United States had not recognized Jerusalem as even being in Israel (and obviously that consulate was established without any relation to the Palestinians). When Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital and moved the embassy, he had to close the consulate because its separate existence was simply inconsistent with this recognition. Reopening the consulate would thus turn the clock back to before the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem.
The Biden administration knows it does not have domestic support to completely “unrecognize” Jerusalem — so it is catering to far-left demands by undoing the natural consequences of recognition.
This would be a big deal: Since the creation of the state, no Israeli government, of any political inclination, has allowed the opening of a diplomatic mission not to Israel. To do so would be unprecedented. While there are a few European consulates in Jerusalem not accredited to Israel, these predate the creation of the state.
If Israel allows the opening of such a consulate, it is hard to imagine how any country in the future would be diplomatically capable of opening an embassy in Jerusalem without opening a parallel mission to the P.A. This would then cement the notion that “both sides” have legitimate claims to the city.
Fortunately, the current government understands how fundamental an issue this is and has strongly rejected the U.S. proposals. Foreign Minister Yair Lapid has expressed his opposition even more firmly than then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did when the new U.S. administration first raised the issue. Netanyahu never had to withstand the significant ongoing pressure the U.S. State Department continues to exert. Lapid has made it clear that he understands this is not about a diplomatic office; it is about the status of Jerusalem.
But the story is far from over, as the United States has recently doubled down on its insistence. The real test of Israel’s government lies in action — in ensuring that no consulate opens even as Washington turns the diplomatic screws.
The U.S. administration is attempting to intimidate Israel by describing the consulate as a “campaign promise” of Biden’s — though it is hard to find any public statement on the issue by Biden during his election campaign. Israel’s government must make it clear that sole Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem is not a “campaign promise” — it is a fundamental, obvious axiom.
The Americans are indicating they may just try to brute-force the issue, declaring that they are opening the consulate and counting on Israel to go along. Israel needs to spell out now that it will not accept a fait accompli.
A diplomatic mission needs many things from the host government, from diplomatic visas and license plates to security coordination. If Bennett and Lapid want to deter the United States from attempting hardball tactics, they should declare now that the government will in no way recognize a new diplomatic mission opened without its consent.
@Bear
No doubt about it. Lapid should let Bennett do the speaking, and the thinking and…
Lapid will do nothing. He is a bad choice. PM Netanyahu knew how to handle such terrible situation
@Bear
“we think it’s a bad idea” ???
“we don’t think it’s a good idea” ???
“we are sure they are listening to us very carefully” ???
Stupid really is Lapid’s greatest calling, unfortunately. He just never gives us a moment to forget how stupid.
Yes, I recall reading his words last month on this topic as they were quite unforgettable, for all the wrong reasons.
This is not exactly the statement that the Israeli govt
as Kontorovich suggested was needed – and he was quite correct. Given the fact that this statement was made some 5wks ago, I suspect this was Kontorovich’s reason for writing his article.
The real difficulty may lie in the reality that this may be as strong a statement as Lapid is willing or capable of making to his American counterparts. It is a very slight suggestion and not a dogmatic statement of opposition as you yourself made.
I make no secret for my open contempt of Lapid’s great inabilities that he demonstrates for us, all too regularly. It is a difficult moment in the US-Israeli relationship and the men who have seized control of power in Washington have proven there great ability to impress us all with their radical agenda. I have little hope that this govt will be able to stop the American determination to advantage the Pals with this move, but the conditional phrase of “we think” is not winning any awards for the speech of the day. This is a moment in which the Foreign Minister must exhibit the fact that there is no possibility by which Israel will compromise on this point.
Your own words were quite sufficient for this task, but Lapids are, well, weak tea really describes it better than anything else. If Lapid lack an imagination to muster a simple statement of determination, he might seek out Bennett’s help or someone else. His lack of commitment in this “mother may I oppose you” commentary that you shared is less a wall of iron statement which is required in this pivotal moment and more an ant-hill of butter, melting in the hot sun. Not only is his statement quite insufficient to deter the commitment of these Radicals holding power in the US, his statement also displays a lack of any commitment to the policy he is supporting. This is a moment for Churchill, and instead we have Petain. In truth, I can’t believe Bennett and the others would continue in the govt if the US follows thru, but I guess we will see how they will respond.
If this is Lapid’s final words on the matter to the Americans, the Pals might as well start moving back in today.
@Peloni, Lapid actually publicly addressed his opposition to a US Consulate in Jerusalem for Palestinians.
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Expecting Lapid to “gain a bit of sense” is like expecting Rashida Tlaib to start lighting Shabbat candles….not gonna happen. Bennett CANNOTallow Biden to circumvent Israeli sovereignty, and MUST NOT bend over and agree to this obscenity.
@Bear
I absolutely agree!
I hope Lapid gains a bit of sense and supports this strategy, as opposed to the very quiet and non-public opposition that he has largely adopted thus far.
Israel must not allow the USA to open consulate in Jerusalem for the PA. The overwhelming majority of Israeli Jews across the political feel the same way. This includes the center-left such as Lapid and his Yesh Atid party.
Eugene Kontorovich is the mark in this article!!