The Israeli parliament recently approved a law that prohibits the establishment of consulates in Jerusalem, allowing only embassies to be opened in the city. This move is aimed at reinforcing Israel's disputed claim on Jerusalem as its capital, as reported by the parliament's website.
Currently, only a few countries have embassies in Jerusalem, with the United States being one of them. The US relocated its main diplomatic mission to Jerusalem during the administration of Donald Trump. Most nations choose to locate their embassies in Tel Aviv, with lower-ranking diplomatic missions based in east Jerusalem or Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, serving as their main representation in the Palestinian territories.
The final status of Jerusalem has always been a challenging and sensitive issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Many countries have refrained from declaring Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and establishing embassies there due to the absence of an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal. Palestinians also claim Jerusalem as their capital, adding to the complexity of the situation.
Israeli MP Ze’ev Elkin, one of the lawmakers who proposed the bill, expressed gratitude to the Knesset members for passing the law. He emphasized the significance of the decision, stating, 'A united Jerusalem is the capital of the State of Israel forever, and no one could challenge this sovereignty.'
