“We write today to express our strong opposition to your administration’s proposal to reopen the US consulate in Jerusalem, the eternal capital of Israel, which would provide separate diplomatic access to the Palestinians,” the House Republican wrote. He said reopening the US consulate in Jerusalem “would be inconsistent with the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 by promoting the division of Jerusalem.”
“This would be unacceptable, shameful and wrong,” he wrote, and noted that Biden supported the legislation as a senator. Rep. Lee Zeldin led the letter, and he was joined by all-House Republican leaders, including Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Republican Whip Steve Scalise.
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He argued that if the administration went ahead with its plan, it would “create a misguided situation in which the US would have essentially two separate diplomatic missions in the Israeli capital, along with the US embassy in Israel.” Outreach to the Consulate General of the Palestinians, whose government is based in Ramallah.
“The Trump administration corrected this bad situation with the merger but maintained access to the Palestinians by establishing the Palestine Affairs Unit (PAU) within the US Embassy in Jerusalem,” he wrote.
An American flag flies on the premises of the former United States Consulate in Jerusalem. (Credit: Ammar Awad/Reuters)
Noting protests within the Israeli government, lawmakers wrote: “We urge you to respect the opposition of our close allies Israel to the reopening of the US consulate in Jerusalem, especially since Israel’s cooperation is essential. “
Last week, Sen. Bill Haggerty of Tennessee, along with 33 other Republican senators, introduced a bill to block the Biden administration from opening a consulate serving Palestinians in Jerusalem.