US Deputy Secretary of State Brian McKeone during the night (Wednesday to Thursday) addressed the possibility that the United States would reopen the Palestinian consulate in Jerusalem and said such a move would first require approval from Israel.
McKeon made the remarks after being asked about it by Republican Sen. Bill Gertie of Tennessee, who asked the deputy secretary of state if "as you understand it, under U.S. and international law, the Israeli government will have to give its explicit consent before the U.S. can open, or reopen." "The American Consulate for the Palestinians in Jerusalem? Or does the Biden administration believe it can go ahead and open a second American mission in the Israeli capital without the consent of the Israeli government?"
Important question from @SenatorHagerty: Does Israel have to agree before the US could open or reopen a consulate to the Palestinians in Jerusalem?
"That's my understanding — that we'd need to get the consent of the host government to open any diplomatic facility."
-DepSec McKeon pic.twitter.com/lIoQB3eV9K
- AIPAC (@AIPAC) October 28, 2021
Deputy Secretary Macion answered the question and said that he understood "we will need the approval of the host government to open any kind of diplomatic facility".
The United States is pushing for the resumption of operations for the Palestinian consulate on West Agron Street in west Jerusalem. Israel: If this does not succeed, after the state budget is approved in the Knesset and the government stabilizes, the government may take a unilateral step.
The Biden administration will have to get the approval from the Israeli government, Photo: Reuters
The Agron compound is currently used as the official residence of the American ambassador to Israel.
The place served until 2019 as an independent consulate for the Palestinian Authority, and was closed by the Trump administration.
In Israel, it is believed that the Americans should open the consulate in Ramallah or Abu Dis, outside the city's municipal boundaries.
The administration rejects these proposals outright.
