Reopening the U.S. “Palestinian embassy” in Jerusalem undermines Israel’s sovereignty and American interests

Dear Friend of FLAME:

After a recent 20-nation ministerial meeting on the Afghan crisis, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned that if the Taliban want relations with the U.S., they “will have to be earned.”

Blinken should apply that policy equally to the Palestinian Authority, which has not relaxed its obstinacy and disregard for U.S. interests for at least 20 years. Nonetheless, with no preconditions, the Biden Administration seems determined to reopen the American consulate in Jerusalem, which served as a de facto embassy to the Palestinian Arabs since the mid-1990s.

Perhaps more importantly, it’s unheard of—and insulting —for the U.S. to place an unwanted embassy or consulate for a foreign entity in the sovereign capital of another state. No surprise that Israel’s leaders have so far strenuously resisted this notion—and no wonder a large number of legislators in Israel’s current (and fragilely constructed) government outright reject the U.S. consulate plan.

In March 2019, the Trump Administration wisely closed the consulate and folded its operations into the new U.S. Embassy to the State of Israel in Jerusalem, which was moved from Tel Aviv in May 2018. This step, bold as it seemed, merely implemented the Jerusalem Embassy Act— passed by Congress in 1995—which declared that “Jerusalem should be recognized as the capital of the State of Israel.”

The Embassy Act also stated that the American embassy should move to Jerusalem within five years. Unfortunately, every president until 2018—despite promising to move the embassy—signed a countless string of six-month postponements. Since an announcement in December 2017 by then-President Trump, the U.S. has officially recognized Jerusalem as the official capital of the State of Israel. It has since been joined by other nations, such as the Czech Republic, Serbia, Honduras and Guatemala.

Under the Oslo Accords—signed by Israel, the Palestinian Liberation Organization, the United States and Russia—Jerusalem is within the borders of the State of Israel and outside the Palestinian self-rule area. Under the Accords, the status of Jerusalem is to be determined only within the framework of future negotiations on a permanent peace. Until then Jerusalem is to remain outside the realm of Palestinian government, and the Palestinian Authority is prohibited from maintaining its institutions there.

The reason for these specifications was—according to Dr. Shmuel Berkowitz, a renowned expert on Jerusalem—to “prevent political or governmental activity in the territory of the State of Israel, without the consent of the Government of Israel, which is incompatible with respect for the sovereignty of the State of Israel by the Palestinian Authority or the PLO.”

Since the U.S. fully recognizes Israel’s sovereignty in all of Jerusalem and was a party to agreements that prevent any Palestinian activity in Jerusalem, it’s a betrayal for the Americans to reopen an official institution meant to serve Palestinian interests in the city.

It would also be an abrogation of the U.S. commitment to Israel’s absolute sovereignty in its capital city. Even a de facto consulate to the Palestinians without any particular official designation contradicts firm U.S. commitments to Israel and reneges on its promises.

Moreover, as Secretary Blinken has made clear, diplomatic gains need to be earned. If the Palestinians want something from the U.S., it should be a reward for taking definitive actions. The Palestinian Authority, however, continues to work against American interests, both locally— in its anti-democratic and anti-Israel policies—and regionally, such as its flirtations with Iran and its rejection of Arab peace initiatives.

On a local level, the Palestinian Authority has over the years devolved into yet another brutal Middle East dictatorship. Mahmoud Abbas is now over 16 years into his five-year term as president of the Palestinian Authority. His penchant for cancelling elections has become notorious, despite calls from the international community to hold free, fair elections.

Recently, Abbas’ regime has increased its brutality. Critics are routinely threatened, arrested, imprisoned without trial, and—in the case of one prominent political activist, Nizar Banat— murdered by PA police. The security forces beat Banat and dragged him from a house in Hebron. He was pronounced dead twenty minutes later at a hospital. Peaceful protests, demonstrations and strikes are brutally dispersed by PA thugs.

As for hate against Israel, the PA continues to reject peace negotiations and continues in official state channels to promote murder, fund terrorism and praise bloodshed against the Jewish state.

Israel-based education watchdog IMPACT-se has publicized inciteful material in Palestinian textbooks, such as a reading exercise glorifying an exploding Molotov cocktail on a bus full of Jewish civilian passengers. An Arabic language lesson describes suicide bombings in which Palestinians “wore explosive belts, thus turning their bodies into fire, burning the Zionist tank.”

In addition, the PA continues to pay funds to terrorists and their families in the “Pay for Slay” programs, and Palestinian media regularly honor mass-murdering terrorists.

Regionally, the PA is being left behind as more and more Arab states seek relations with the Jewish state. Palestinian leaders have tried to prevent the American-backed “Abraham Accords,” calling the peace agreements a “stab in the back” of the Palestinian people. The PA has threatened Arab states that seek a more peaceful, prosperous region—preferring that violence and bloodshed continue—thus acting consistently against American efforts to achieve regional stability.

In the face of the PA hostility to Israel and U.S. interests, why the U.S. is acting against its strong ally, Israel—as well as its commitments and signed agreements? Why is it attempting to appease a Palestinian leadership that is moving further from peace, continues to terrorize Israel and its own people, and acts against regional stability? It makes no sense legally, politically or diplomatically.

I hope you’ll make the case to friends, family, colleagues and your elected representatives that the U.S. should reject reopening its consulate without the agreement of Israel and without definitive actions from the Palestinians demonstrating their commitment to achieve peace. Regardless of President Biden’s lip service toward Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, any U.S. effort to open a consulate serving the interests of a foreign—and openly hostile—entity would be a slap in the face to that very recognition.

If, despite all contraindications, the U.S. wants a diplomatic conduit with the Palestinians, it should establish one in the Palestinian capital city of Ramallah.

I hope you’ll also take a minute, while you have this material front and center, to forward this message to friends, visit FLAME’s lively Facebook page and review the P.S. immediately below. It describes FLAME’s new hasbarah campaign—which exposes “Ben & Jerry’s Bad Taste” and those who support boycotts of the Jewish state.

Best regards,

James Sinkinson
President, Facts and Logic About the Middle East (FLAME)