Netanyahu: "US Palestinian Consulate Cannot Be Established in Jerusalem, Israeli Territory"

US Ambassador to Israel: "Must be installed in the West Bank or Abu Dhabi"
Opposes return to Iran nuclear deal... Blinken warns of "spread of anti-Semitism"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed opposition to the United States reopening the Palestinian consulate in Jerusalem. He argued that establishing a Palestinian consulate in Jerusalem, which is sovereign Israeli territory, does not make sense. Israel is also known to strongly oppose the Iran nuclear deal, raising expectations that the Biden administration's Middle East policy aimed at peacebuilding after the recent Palestinian conflict will face difficulties.

According to the Jerusalem Post, an Israeli local media outlet, on the 26th (local time), Netanyahu reportedly opposed the U.S. reopening the Palestinian consulate in Jerusalem during a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken the previous day. Netanyahu was said to have strongly opposed the idea, stating, "There cannot be a consulate of another country, the Palestinian Authority, within Israeli territory in Jerusalem."

The Israeli government is also reported to have officially submitted its opposition to the U.S. government through the Israeli ambassador to the United States. Gilad Erdan, the Israeli ambassador to the U.S., stated in a press release, "While the reopening of the consulate itself is a decision for the United States, Jerusalem is Israeli sovereign territory, and a Palestinian consulate cannot be established here," adding, "It is appropriate to establish the Palestinian consulate in the West Bank or Abu Dhabi."

The Netanyahu administration is also known to continue opposing the U.S. return to the Iran nuclear deal. According to foreign media including the Associated Press, during the meeting with Secretary Blinken, Netanyahu said, "Iran wants the U.S. to return to the nuclear deal because once the deal ends, Iran will legally possess nuclear weapons," and strongly opposed it, saying, "Israel cannot accept this situation." In response, Secretary Blinken reportedly warned in return, "Anti-Semitism is emerging in the United States," and cautioned that "it could spread like the recent hatred against Asian Americans in the U.S."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.