Former Jerusalem Mayor Adds Opposition to Opening US Consulate to Palestinians in Jerusalem

Plans to restore America’s bifurcated consular services in Jerusalem are generating increasing Israeli opposition. The latest significant voice to weigh in is Nir Barkat, presently a lawmaker with the right-wing Likud party and formerly a popular mayor of Jerusalem. Barkat has launched legislation that would require Israeli consent before a government could open a diplomatic mission in the capital, a move that he says is intended to “maintain the unity of Jerusalem.” The consulate in question had, for many years, served as the point of contact between Washington and the Palestinian population and a tacit reminder that the nation’s closest ally did not recognize Israeli sovereignty over its claimed capital. Former President Donald Trump’s move of the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem received immense coverage worldwide and sparked intense debate over the move’s political implications. As part of that move, the consulate that had served the Arab population was embedded in a larger embassy complex. When President Joe Biden took office, he announced that the historic building would reopen as a gesture to the Palestinians, but has not yet followed through on the promise. Barkat claims polling shows that 70% of Israelis support his position.