U.S. shutters consulate in Jerusalem, downgrading Palestinian mission

The U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem in 2018.
(Image credit: Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images)

The United States has closed its Jerusalem consulate, which for several decades served as a de facto embassy to the Palestinians.

Now, outreach will be conducted through a Palestinian affairs unit at the U.S. Embassy, which was relocated from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem last year. U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman is a critic of Palestinian leadership and supports Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

In a statement to The Associated Press, State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said the decision "was driven by our global efforts to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of our diplomatic engagements and operations. It does not signal a change of U.S. policy on Jerusalem, the West Bank, or the Gaza Strip."

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.