Palestinians Urge US To Fulfill Pledge and Reopen Consulate in Jerusalem (VIDEO REPORT)

The US and Israel may be headed toward a diplomatic confrontation on the issue  

The US and Israel may be headed toward a diplomatic confrontation on the issue of reopening an American consulate in Jerusalem.

Top Israeli officials so far have shut down any US plans to reopen its consulate in Jerusalem to serve Palestinians living in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett told reporters last weekend that the city is united.

“There’s no room for another American Consulate in Jerusalem. … Jerusalem is the capital of one state and that is the state of Israel,” he said.

US President Joe Biden made a campaign pledge to reopen the diplomatic mission which was closed under his predecessor. But so far, no date has been given for a reopening.

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid suggested another location for the consulate, Ramallah, located in the West Bank and the seat of the Palestinian Authority.

Palestinians, who welcomed the administration’s plan, swiftly rebuffed the Israeli government’s latest stance.

They view east Jerusalem as the future capital of their future state and say Biden must follow through on his promise.

“Ramallah is not Jerusalem, and Ramallah is not the capital of Palestine in the same way that Abu Dis is not. And therefore, for us, the consulate in east Jerusalem, it has a lot of political significance. We want this consulate in Jerusalem to be the future American embassy to the state of Palestine,” Shtayyeh told foreign reporters in Ramallah on Wednesday, adding, “I’m sure that the United States doesn’t need the permission of anybody because east Jerusalem is occupied territory and Israel is occupying the city illegally against international law.”

Palestinians argue reopening the consulate there simply restores balance, even if it upsets Israel.