US to merge diplomatic mission to serve Palestinians with embassy in Israel

JERUSALEM – The State Department announced on Thursday that it would merge the diplomatic mission serving the Palestinians with the US embassy in Israel.

The head of the consulate, who traditionally deals with Palestinian affairs, will return to Washington, a state affairs spokesman told the Washington Post. Instead, the Israeli ambassador, David Friedman, will oversee American diplomatic relations with the Palestinians.

The merger is the last stage of the Trump administration that seems to degrade its diplomatic relations with the Palestinians. In December, President Trump upset decades of US foreign policy by recognizing that Jerusalem was the capital of Israel. In May, he moved the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, angering Palestinians who claim East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.

[Under banner of peace, U.S. opens embassy in Jerusalem. Sixty miles away, dozens of Palestinians are killed.]

Since then, the State Department has reduced economic aid to the Palestinian Authority and terminated its financial contribution to the United Nations relief agency for Palestinian refugees. In addition, he closed the diplomatic mission of the Palestine Liberation Organization in Washington, canceling the visas of all Palestinian representatives.

Palestinians accuse the Trump administration of taking sides with Israel, and since the announcement of the Jerusalem declaration, they have refused to meet with Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt, the main White House officials on Israeli-Palestinian issues. The two men say, however, that they are on the cusp of formulating an innovative peace plan to end the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The merger of the two US diplomatic missions could pose new challenges for Trump's advisory team in the Middle East. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has not concealed his disdain for Friedman, a former real estate lawyer who allegedly provided financial support to Israeli settlements.

In a March speech, Abbas even described Friedman as a settler and a dog's son.

In announcing the new diplomatic framework on Thursday, the State Department said it was only a continuation of the embassy's transition to Jerusalem and aimed at streamlining operations in the region. He said that a new unit in charge of Palestinian affairs would operate from the embassy and that there would be no change in the general consular services.

"This decision is motivated by our global efforts to improve the efficiency and profitability of our operations. This does not mean a change in US policy in Jerusalem, the West Bank or the Gaza Strip, "the statement said.

[Trump administration cuts more than $200 million in aid to the Palestinians]

A State Department official in Jerusalem, who requested anonymity to inform the media, said however that the current consul general, Karen Sasahara, would return to Washington.

"She does not resign," said the manager. "She has excellent relations with Ambassador Friedman, but as a result of the merger of the consulate and the embassy, ​​her role will be eliminated."

Saeb Erekat, secretary general of the PLO, condemned the American movement. "The US decision to end the existence of the US consulate. . . It has nothing to do with "efficiency" and much of it with pleasing an American ideological team that is ready to dismantle the foundations of US foreign policy and the international system, in order to reward Israeli violations and crimes, "he said.

Jeremy Ben-Ami, chairman of the liberal Jewish rights group J Street, called the move "a blow to diplomacy."

"Gradually, the Trump government has been trying to destroy US relations with the Palestinians and close all points of contact with Palestinian leaders," he said in a statement. "Following the relocation of the United States Embassy to Jerusalem, the closure of the PLO's mission to Washington and the disruption of humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people, the The closure of the East Jerusalem Consulate offers a new victory for the settlement movement and the enemies of the Palestinian people. two-state solution. "

Read more

Israel's use of fatal shootings in Gaza: excessive force or controlled crowd control?

After a year of setbacks, Palestinians see some bright spots

Today's coverage of Swiss Post correspondents around the world

Love Washington Post World on Facebook and stay up to date on foreign news