Blinken announces plans to reopen US consulate in Jerusalem New Israeli-Palestinian conflict

After former President Trump was demoted, the movement is resuming diplomatic relations with the Palestinians.

Secretary of State Anthony Blink announced on Tuesday that the United States will reopen its main consulate in Jerusalem – a move that will restore ties with the Palestinians, which the Trump administration has pushed down.

The consulate served for a long time as an autonomous office in charge of diplomatic relations with the Palestinians. But former President Donald Trump suspended his operations and placed them under the command of his ambassador to Israel when he moved the embassy to Jerusalem.

These movements were shattered by long-standing U.S. policy and angered the Palestinians, who sought East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.

Blinken did not give a specific date for the reopening of the consulate, but said it would be “an important way for our country to contact and support the Palestinian people.”

Blinken announced the move after a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank.

“As I told the President, I am here to emphasize the United States’ commitment to rebuilding its relationship with the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian people, a relationship based on mutual respect and a shared belief that Palestinians and Israelis alike deserve. Security, freedom, opportunity and dignity measures,” he said. du.

Along with Blinken, Abbas thanked the U.S. for “resolving the two states (and maintaining the state of Haram al-Sharif” for committing to “the most sacred site for Muslims and Jews in Al-Aqsa Mosque with Al-Aqsa Mosque”.

Reporting the regular news on Tuesday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the move is a “natural step” in rebuilding the U.S. relationship with the Palestinians under the Trump administration.

“[I]in our view, this is the next natural step in announcing plans to reopen the consulate, and once again, we also announced a commitment to support Gaza reconstruction funds, so all of these are part of our efforts to rebuild that relationship, ”Psaki said.

It is located in the Blinken region ceasefire last week, the 11-day devastating war between Israeli and Gaza authorities ended in the killing of at least 253 Palestinians and 12 Israelis, causing widespread destruction in coastal territory.

The war broke out after Israeli police crackdown on Palestinians Jerusalem in and around Al-Aqsa mosque compound, a site that has had several outbreaks of Israeli-Palestinian violence over the years.

U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blink has also held meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu [Menahem Kahana/Pool via Reuters]

Blinken promised to “gather international aid” to help Gaza after the war. He then announced nearly $ 40 million aid to the Palestinians, $ 5.5 million in emergency aid in Gaza. That brings U.S. aid to Palestinians under the Biden administration to more than $ 360 million after the Trump administration cut off almost all aid.

He said any aid would fall out of Hamas’ hands, which does not recognize Israel’s right to be.

The U.S. is trying to strengthen Abbas, who heads the internationally backed Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the occupied West Bank, but pushed their forces out of Gaza in 2007 when Hamas came to power after winning the 2006 elections.