The US has an office in Ramallah, today

The Biden administration is insisting that the US must open a consulate in Jerusalem for Palestinians - directly insulting Israel by saying that it wants a divided Jerusalem that would be a Palestinian capital.

Why wouldn't it open up a consulate in Ramallah, the actual seat of the Palestinian government?

Not too many people know that since 2014, the US has had an official presence in Ramallah. From the US Embassy in Israel page:

America House Ramallah

America House Ramallah, established in June 2014, is the Palestinian Affairs Unit’s educational and cultural outreach center in Ramallah City.  While the current America House Ramallah location is under renovation, , America House programming continues at partner spaces and other venues.

The mission of America House is to encourage dialogue between Americans and Palestinians in order to foster mutual understanding and emphasize shared values. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State through the Palestinian Affairs Unit in Jerusalem, America House is a place where residents of Ramallah and West Bank can learn essential skills to take advantage of new economic opportunities, including English language, entrepreneurship, and technology skills.  It also serves as a place where people can come together and take advantage of the many resources we offer, including our library, 3D printer, wifi connection and computers.   America House Ramallah offers a wide variety of presentations about U.S. society and culture throughout the year, hosts regular film screenings, and presents  English language classes.

There is also an America House in Jerusalem for Palestinians.

There is absolutely no reason there cannot be an American diplomatic presence in Ramallah - there already is one.

Which makes the desire to create a consulate in Jerusalem even more of an insult.

Even stranger is the news that the US State Department admits that the US cannot re-open the old consulate without permission from Israel.

Brian McKeon, the U.S. deputy Secretary of State for management and resources, said on Wednesday that Washington would need the Israeli government’s consent before reopening the consulate in East Jerusalem it once used to serve Palestinians.

McKeon said it in testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee when he was asked by Republican Senator Bill Hagerty whether Israel would have to agree to the United States’ reopening a consulate. 

“That’s my understanding – that we’d need to get the consent of the host government to open any diplomatic facility,” McKeon responded.

This was not thought through before it became an international incident. 

(h/t Irene)

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