Three foreign consulates in Jerusalem that serve the Palestinian Authority, rather than Israel, are still operating from the Israeli capital instead of Ramallah, where the Authority is based. The report, aired Tuesday on News 14, said the situation has drawn growing criticism at a time when Israel is fighting diplomatic, security and public relations battles.
Critics say the problem is not only the location of the missions, but also the positions of the countries behind them. During a protest against the consulates, speakers argued that some of the foreign representations do more than provide diplomatic services and promote policies viewed as hostile to Israel. MK Ariel Kallner called for examining whether the current framework should continue.
The report singled out Turkey and Spain. Turkey, led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is accused of regularly attacking Israel on the international stage. Spain, under Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, has imposed an arms embargo, sanctions on settlers in Judea and Samaria, and restrictions on the passage of weapons and military equipment through its territory. Sanchez has also said Israel will not defeat terror by carrying out a "blind attack on the civilian population." Despite that criticism, Spain's consulate serving the Palestinian Authority continues to operate in central Jerusalem.
Former Jerusalem city council member Yair Gabai said the Spanish consulate once put up a gate that blocked part of a public street near the compound, and that it was removed only after residents complained and the city intervened. Critics also said the French consulate, which serves the Palestinian Authority, was involved in renovating Saint Joseph Hospital in Jerusalem with Qatari funding, effectively giving Qatar a foothold in the city. They argued the arrangement raises questions about the limits of diplomatic activity in Jerusalem and why Israel continues to allow this unusual setup.
The issue has been debated for years, but opponents say it is especially striking now because foreign missions serving the Palestinian Authority remain in Jerusalem even though the Authority's seat is in Ramallah. In parallel, the activist movement "Arzenu" demonstrated outside the British consulate in the city, reading the Balfour Declaration and waving Israeli and British flags. The group ended with "Hatikvah" and "Am Yisrael Chai," and its chairman, Yona Achia, urged the government to respond more forcefully, saying, "I call on the Government of Israel to wake up, the sanctions against us are effectively sanctions against the Government of Israel as a whole."
