A coalition of organizations who oppose the Biden Administration's intent to reopen a US consulate for Palestinians in Jerusalem has formed and includes members of organizations such as The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), the Sovereignty Movement, Im Tirtzu and Regavim.
The new coalition is coordinating protest strategies and held a vigil in front of a US facility on Agron Street in Jerusalem in protest of the plans, saying that the intention to open the consulate has led to outrage.
"Establishing an American consulate for the Palestinian Authority in Jerusalem is the de facto partition of the city and its transformation into the capital of Palestine," said Yehudit Katsover and Nadia Matar from the Sovereignty Movement.
"Israeli society is a friend of the American people. This is not something that one does to friends," said Im Tirtzu CEO Matan Peleg.
"We call upon the American administration - if it is so urgent for you to open a special consulate for the Palestinians – open it in Ramallah, not in Jerusalem,” continued Peleg.
"The Zionist Organization of America stands alongside Israel in opposing the attempt to legitimize a regime that supports terrorism through the opening of a Palestinian consulate in Jerusalem," said Dan Iluz, ZOA director of operations and former Jerusalem City Council member.
"This move will not only promote the partition of Jerusalem, it will also reward a regime that pays salaries to terrorists, dedicates plazas in their name, and denies the Holocaust. We call upon the Biden administration to stop exerting pressure on Israel, which distances peace and reinforces Palestinian recalcitrance," added Iluz.
“We will not allow the Americans to determine the fate of our capital. Our exclusive sovereignty over Jerusalem will determine our sovereignty over the entire country," said Israel Forever Chairperson Nili Nahori.
In 2018, the US recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. It closed its consulate to the Palestinians and opened a department for handling Palestinian consular affairs at the US Embassy.
The facility on Agron Street in downtown Jerusalem, an area of the city that some countries, including Russia, recognize as Israel’s, was turned into a residence for the ambassador.