Poll: 72.8% of Israelis oppose reopening of US consulate in Jerusalem

As many as 72.8 per cent of Israelis oppose the reopening of a US consulate in Jerusalem as the de facto mission for Palestinians, a new poll showed.

Israel’s Channel 7 said the poll was commissioned by Member of the Knesset Nir Barkat.

Direct Talks, which conducted the poll, sent a letter to Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, in which it said: “The majority of the people are against a Palestinian state, and 72.8 percent oppose the establishment of a consulate for the Palestinians in the heart of Jerusalem.”

It demanded Bennett focus on facing international pressures to reopen a consulate for the Palestinians in Jerusalem.

Jenin; and Israel’s fear of an armed Palestinian rebellion

Israel Hayom newspaper recently reported that the administration of US President Joe Biden is working to reopen the US Consulate in Jerusalem, to serve the interests of the Palestinians.

The paper expects that Bennett and Biden will discuss the issue during the Israeli prime minister’s current official visit to Washington.

In 2019, the administration of former US President Donald Trump closed the consulate and relocated all staff to the US embassy after moving it from Tel Aviv to occupied East Jerusalem.