The Trump administration announced it will merge the Jerusalem Consulate responsible for relations with the Palestinian Authority into its newly relocated U.S. Embassy.

The consulate in Jerusalem has functioned essentially as an embassy to the Palestinian Authority and was separate from the operations of the U.S. Embassy. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the consulate closure was aimed at efficiency and wasn’t a policy change. He said a newly created Palestinian Affairs unit will operate out of the old consulate building, conducting reporting, outreach and programming with Palestinians in the so-called West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem.

In all countries around the world, U.S. consulates work under the U.S. Embassy and consular generals report to the U.S. ambassador of the country. Yet, the U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman and U.S. Embassy had no connection with the Jerusalem Consulate, which in the past allowed the State Department to implement an independent policy directly with the Palestinian Authority. However, that now has changed since President Trump has moved the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem. The U.S. Consular General in Jerusalem must now report to Ambassador Friedman and not directly with the State Department. This arrangement merely fueled Palestinian anti-Israel propaganda.

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