US President Biden has agreed not to establish an independent consulate serving Palestinians in Jerusalem, local media reported. According to two US and Palestinian officials, following a decision in December 2021 to freeze the proposal, Washington has now indefinitely shelved the reopening of the mission in Israel’s capital.
During his 2020 presidential campaign, Biden had pledged to resurrect the Jerusalem consulate, which then-president Donald Trump shuttered in 2019. Israel has opposed the move, which it says infringes on its sovereignty.
President Biden previously announced the restoration of at least $235 million in US assistance to the West Bank and Gaza. The intention to restart funding might run afoul of legislation that restricts the US from transferring funds that would benefit the PA or Hamas and used to incentivize terrorism against Israeli civilians.