Cape Times

US lowers its flag at consulate

- SAEB EREKAT Veteran Palestinia­n negotiator

THE US lowered the flag yesterday at the Jerusalem consulate that had served as its diplomatic channel to the Palestinia­ns, merging the mission with the new US Embassy to Israel in the contested city.

The Palestinia­ns, who have boycotted the Trump administra­tion since it shifted long-standing US policy in December 2017 by recognisin­g Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, voiced anger at what they see as Washington’s latest move against them.

Whereas previously the consulate reported on Palestinia­n matters directly to Washington, its staff have now been repurposed in the embassy as a “Palestinia­n Affairs Unit” under the US ambassador to Israel, David Friedman.

“This is the last nail in the coffin” of peacemakin­g, veteran Palestinia­n negotiator Saeb Erekat said on Twitter.

Israeli-Palestinia­n talks collapsed in 2014 and the White House says it intends to present a new peace plan after a national election in Israel in April.

Israel deems all of Jerusalem, including the eastern sector it captured in the 1967 Middle East War and annexed in a move not recognised internatio­nally, as its undivided capital.

Washington has avoided such language, however, signalling that the final status of the city should be negotiated by the sides.

Palestinia­ns want to make East Jerusalem the capital of a state they seek in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

The EU’s latest report on Israeli settlement­s in the West Bank, released last month, said continued expansion had made the chances of a two-state solution with Jerusalam as the capital of both “increasing­ly unattainab­le”.

Building of new houses had continued at an unpreceden­ted rate in the second half of last year, opening the way for more Israelis to move in, the report said.

At the ornate consulate on Agron Street in downtown Jerusalem, the flag ceremony was kept low key. Friedman was not present.

US officials said the Stars and Stripes banner was taken down and presented to departing consul Karen Sasahara as a farewell gift, in keeping with foreign service custom, after which another US flag was run up.

The US State Department said the merger was driven by operationa­l efficiency and did not signal any change in policy.

“Our work and our team will continue to work on reaching peace in this land,” Sasahara said on YouTube.

US officials said last month that the Agron Street building, immediatel­y upon consulate operations ending, would serve as the ambassador’s official residence.

But that plan appeared to have slowed.

Yesterday, the consulate plaque had been removed from the buildingfa­çade, leaving a blank space.

The US consulate in Jerusalem had dated back 175 years, to when the city – which is holy to Jews, Christians and Muslims – was under Ottoman rule. THE Eritrean and Ethiopian leaders visited the South Sudanese capital, Juba, yesterday to strengthen economic and political integratio­n in their region.

Due to the importance of the oneday visit, South Sudan President Salva Kiir interrupte­d a tour of the Greater Bahr el-Ghazal region to receive the visitors.

The visit by the president and prime minister follows a visit 24 hours earlier to the Eritrean capital, Asmara, by the Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, to discuss regional issues and bilateral relations with President Isaias Afwerki. Kiir visited Asmara for two days of talks, also focusing on regional integratio­n in August last year.

South Sudan’s Informatio­n Minister Michael Makuei said that, following a reception for the visitors at Juba Internatio­nal Airport, where they were met by Kiir, a meeting would be held at State House.

This is the last nail in the coffin of peacemakin­g

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