US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday the Biden administration intends to press ahead with its plan to reopen the Jerusalem consulate that traditionally engaged with Palestine and Palestinians, despite Israeli opposition to such a move, Reuters reported.
Blinken reiterated a pledge he made months ago on re-establishing the consulate, which was closed by former US President Donald Trump in 2018.
US To Go Ahead With Reopening Palestinian Mission In Jerusalem https://t.co/A1fpa5L9w3 pic.twitter.com/IWTdGxaTff
— Andy Vermaut (@AndyVermaut) October 13, 2021
However, speaking at a Washington news conference with visiting Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and United Arab Emirates FM Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Blinken stopped short of setting a date for reopening the consulate, which would strain relations with Israel’s new government.
“We’ll be moving forward with the process of opening a consulate as part of deepening of those ties with the Palestinians,” Blinken said at the State Department.
U.S. will move forward with reopening its Palestinian mission in Jerusalem -Blinken https://t.co/6ZfnMCuveK by Financely Group pic.twitter.com/ihJKGqjo8h
— Financely Group (@financelygroup) October 13, 2021
The Biden administration has sought to repair relations with the Palestinian Authority, which were badly damaged under Trump.
(The Palestine Chronicle, The New Arab, Social Media)
