Russia to Open Consular Section Offices in Jerusalem

View of the Old City of Jerusalem (Reuters)
View of the Old City of Jerusalem (Reuters)
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Russia to Open Consular Section Offices in Jerusalem

View of the Old City of Jerusalem (Reuters)
View of the Old City of Jerusalem (Reuters)

Russia's embassy in Tel Aviv said on Friday it will open offices in Jerusalem to serve its consular section as part of an agreement with the city’s municipality and the Israeli foreign ministry.

Israel described the move as “historic.”

The Russian embassy said on its website that an agreement on clarifying the area of Russian land was signed on May 18 between the Russian Federation and the Jerusalem Municipality, with the assistance of the Russian Embassy and the Israeli Foreign Ministry.

“We proceed from the fact that the mentioned land property will be used, in particular, for the construction of a complex of buildings and structures for the needs of the consular department of the Russian Embassy in Israel,” the diplomatic mission stated.

The statement added that the opening of a branch office in Jerusalem “fully serves the interests of further strengthening friendly multifaceted relations between Russia and Israel, as well as goes in line with our country's unchanging course towards a fair Middle East settlement.”

The land plot is one of about 100 Russian properties in Israel that are the subject of a dispute between both sides. The majority of the properties were owned by Russia during the era of the Tsars, 100 to 150 years ago.

The land plot is located at the intersection of King George V and Ma'alot Streets in West Jerusalem. It was acquired by the Russian side in 1885 and is mentioned under number 50 in the "Inventory of all Russian real estate in Palestine and Syria, with the exception of private ownership" dated June 19, 1895, which was prepared by the administrator of the Consulate General of the Russian Empire in Jerusalem Alexander Yakovlev.

Israeli institutions were trying to ignore these historical archival documents and to postpone Russia’s request to clarify the land. The issue almost turned into a diplomatic crisis.

However, PM Benjamin Netanyahu's government hastened to settle the dispute, announcing that it would gradually liberate Russian lands, through detailed talks with Russia on each individual property. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs formed a team headed by the head of its Euro-Asia department, Yuval Fuchs. For this task, the Russians appointed Sergei Makarov, Assistant to Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov.

Meanwhile, Israel sought political gains from this deal. It requested that Moscow establish on this land a building directly affiliated with the Russian Embassy in Tel Aviv, to join seven countries with embassies in Jerusalem, including the US, Guatemala, Honduras, and Kosovo.

The Russians agreed to Israel’s request on the basis that the new headquarters to be built is a consular branch of the Russian Embassy in Tel Aviv. Under the agreement, construction will be completed within five years.

Therefore, the diplomatic compound will provide consular services to the Israelis holding Russian nationality and to Russian nationals residing in Jerusalem and its environs, and will also house a diplomatic office, similar to the offices established in West Jerusalem by Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia.

Moscow had previously announced that it considers West Jerusalem to be Israel's capital.

Tel Aviv considers Russia’s approval to establish a consulate branch in west Jerusalem as further recognizing the Israeli presence in Jerusalem.

 



Israeli Commandos Kidnap Hezbollah ‘Naval Official’ in Lebanon’s Batroun

Amhaz's ID card at the Maritime Sciences and Technology Institute. (Telegram)
Amhaz's ID card at the Maritime Sciences and Technology Institute. (Telegram)
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Israeli Commandos Kidnap Hezbollah ‘Naval Official’ in Lebanon’s Batroun

Amhaz's ID card at the Maritime Sciences and Technology Institute. (Telegram)
Amhaz's ID card at the Maritime Sciences and Technology Institute. (Telegram)

Israeli marine commandos kidnapped a Lebanese citizen in a landing operation in the Batroun region north of Beirut, a Lebanese security source told Asharq Al-Awsat on Saturday.

The source said the operation took place at dawn on Friday and targeted Imad Fadel Amhaz, a Hezbollah member. The source did not confirm or deny whether he was an official in the Iran-backed party’s naval unit.

The source said the area where the operation happened had witnessed Israeli activity with Lebanese authorities suspecting that it was a meeting point for Israelis and their agents in Lebanon before the eruption of the war.

Speaking to Lebanon's Al-Jadeed TV, caretaker Minister of Public Works and Transport Ali Hamie declined to go into details or answer questions about whether it was thought to be an Israeli operation.

Three Lebanese judicial officials told AP an investigation is looking into the man is linked to Hezbollah or working for an Israeli spy agency and an Israeli force came to rescue him.

The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity as they were unauthorized to share details about the incident or the ongoing investigation.

Israel’s military said it was looking into local media reports that said its forces captured a senior member of Hezbollah’s naval force during the operation. Israel has carried out in the past commando operations deep inside Lebanon to kidnap or kill Hezbollah and Palestinian officials.

Hamie told Al-Jadeed the man was a captain of civilian ships. He graduated in 2022 and in late September joined the Batroun's Maritime Sciences and Technology Institute for additional courses. Hamie said that the man lived roughly 300 meters (980 feet) from the institute.

Hamie's remarks came shortly after two Lebanese journalists posted a video on social media showing what appeared to be about 20 armed men taking away a man from in front a house, his face covered with his shirt.

Kandice Ardiel, a spokesperson for the UN peacekeeping force deployed in south Lebanon, denied allegations by some local journalists who said that the peacekeepers helped the landing force in the operation. The UN mission, known as UNIFIL, has a maritime force that monitors the coast.

"Disinformation and false rumors are irresponsible and put peacekeepers at risk,” Ardiel said.