US Consulate to Open in Jerusalem Soon

US consulate in Jerusalem (AP)
US consulate in Jerusalem (AP)
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US Consulate to Open in Jerusalem Soon

US consulate in Jerusalem (AP)
US consulate in Jerusalem (AP)

A high-ranking Israeli official told the Israeli channel i24news that the US Consulate will open in Jerusalem soon.

In the past few months, the administration of President Joe Biden informed Israel that it was about to open the US consulate in Jerusalem unilaterally if Naftali Bennett's government had not responded to the matter after approving the general budget.

The Biden administration has worked to reach understandings with Israel about the consulate, but to no avail.

Biden insists on reopening a US consulate to deal with Palestinian affairs, in a clear indication of dramatic change to the policy of his predecessor Donald Trump regarding Palestine.

Trump closed the consulate in Jerusalem in 2019 after moving his country's embassy from Tel Aviv and recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The consulate was merged with the embassy as part of a plan known as the "Deal of the Century."

The US consulate in Jerusalem is the subject of a "political" and "sovereign" conflict between the Palestinians and the Israelis.

For over 20 years, the consulate has been the diplomatic representation to the Palestinian Authority (PA), which issues visas and overlooks various projects, including humanitarian and financial aid.

Unlike Trump, Biden supports the two-state solution, curbing settlement activity, and financially supports the PA.

The government source confirmed that despite Washington's position, the Israeli government is in the process of announcing a new settlement plan in East Jerusalem.

The plan includes constructing thousands of settlement units in the city.

Israeli Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked admitted there were differences with the US administration.

On settlements, Shaked said the sides would simply have to "agree to disagree" on the issue. "That's how it is."

"There are gaps between the current American administration and our position on building in Judea and Samaria. We need to understand that these gaps exist and learn to work with them," she said.

Shaked rejected the possibility of a compromise that would see settlement construction limited by amount or location. "No, this is out of the question," she said.

"We have no problem doing everything in coordination [with the US], as much as possible, if they want. But we're not changing our policy," the interior minister noted.



Nasrallah’s Bodyguard Killed in Israeli Airstrike on Iran, Hezbollah Says

A supporter of Hezbollah carries a picture of Hezbollah's late leader Hassan Nasrallah during a protest against the Israeli attack on Iran, organized by Hezbollah following Friday prayer in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, 20 June 2025. (EPA)
A supporter of Hezbollah carries a picture of Hezbollah's late leader Hassan Nasrallah during a protest against the Israeli attack on Iran, organized by Hezbollah following Friday prayer in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, 20 June 2025. (EPA)
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Nasrallah’s Bodyguard Killed in Israeli Airstrike on Iran, Hezbollah Says

A supporter of Hezbollah carries a picture of Hezbollah's late leader Hassan Nasrallah during a protest against the Israeli attack on Iran, organized by Hezbollah following Friday prayer in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, 20 June 2025. (EPA)
A supporter of Hezbollah carries a picture of Hezbollah's late leader Hassan Nasrallah during a protest against the Israeli attack on Iran, organized by Hezbollah following Friday prayer in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, 20 June 2025. (EPA)

The head of security to slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike while in Iran, a Hezbollah official said Saturday.

Abu Ali Khalil, better known as Abu Ali Jawad, was killed after he went to Iran from neighboring Iraq, the official said.

For many years, Abu Ali was seen behind Nasrallah during most of his public appearances.

After Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike in a Beirut suburb in September, his bodyguard was put in charge of his tomb in Beirut.

The Hezbollah official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, said the airstrike that killed Abu Ali occurred earlier Saturday.