US State Dept confirms: Israel would have to authorize Palestinian consulate in Jerusalem

The State Department confirmed in a Senate hearing on Wednesday that it could not open a consulate for Palestinians in Jerusalem without Israel’s authorization.

Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), who proposed a bill this week to ensure that the only American diplomatic entity in Jerusalem would be the embassy to Israel, asked Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Brian McKeon about the matter in a meeting of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

“President [Joe] Biden’s proposal to open a second US mission in Jerusalem would begin to reverse the recognition of Jerusalem, and it would divide Israel’s eternal and undivided capital city,” Hagerty said.  

“I just want to confirm something on the record,” said. “Is it your understanding that, under US and international law, the government of Israel would have to provide its affirmative consent before the United States could open or reopen the US consulate to the Palestinians in Jerusalem, or does the Biden Administration believe it can move forward to establish a second US mission in the Israel capital city of Jerusalem without the consent of the government of Israel?” 

“Senator,” McKeon responded, “that’s my understanding – that we’d need to get the consent of the host government to open any diplomatic facility.”

The US closed its consulate to the Palestinians in 2018, when it openly recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and moved its embassy there, and started a department at the embassy for handling Palestinian consular affairsl. The facility on Agron Street in western Jerusalem – a part of the city that some other countries, like Russia, recognize as Israel’s – was turned into a residence for the ambassador.

Biden promised to reopen the consulate in his election campaign, and American officials have raised the issue with Israel, but the government in Jerusalem opposes it.