It was reported earlier this week that in lieu of the immediate reopening of a PA Consulate in Jerusalem, Washington was planning to appoint the current top State Department diplomat for the region, Hady Amr, as a special envoy to the Palestinians.
In a briefing on Tuesday, Price rejected any report of the US shelving the opening of a PA Consulate in Jerusalem. Price was asked to comment and responded that the reports were inaccurate. “We remain committed to opening a consulate in Jerusalem. We’re continuing to discuss this with our Israeli and our Palestinian partners, and we’ll continue to consult with members of Congress as well. Meanwhile, at this very moment, we have a dedicated team of colleagues working in Jerusalem, in our Palestinian Affairs Office, focused on engagement with and outreach to the Palestinian people.”
Traditionally, the U.S. Department of State has been hot bed of anti-Semitism and Jew hatred. It continues on this destructive path towards Israel. Governmental changes seem to have little effect on this Department. It would be interesting and worthwhile to discover why. For now, we take comfort in remarks made by Mark Zell, Chairman of Republicans Overseas Israel. “The US does not have the legal authority to establish or expand a consulate in Jerusalem without Israel’s consent. That is international law. They understand that. They can’t open a consulate to the Palestinians in Israel without the Israeli government’s consent. The Israeli government said no, so that is why they didn’t do it.”