For the first time in years, the U.S. Embassy is set to officially resume consular services for residents of Judea and Samaria, in a move credited to Efrat local council head Dovi Sheffler and his chief of staff, Yehonatan Marcus. According to the report, the two built direct ties with senior U.S. Embassy officials, leading to a decision to restore official services for thousands of American citizens living in the area.
Under the agreement, embassy representatives will come to the region at the end of this month and provide full consular services, without residents needing to travel to offices inside the Green Line. The development was first reported by C14.
In a separate and unprecedented move, the U.S. consul general chose Efrat in Gush Etzion as the official site for marking the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. The timing of the decision is raising questions in political and diplomatic circles, including whether it was coordinated in advance with President Donald Trump’s team.
Local settlement leaders describe the step as historic and say it will help cement realities on the ground and strengthen the status of the settlements. They said the choice of Efrat sends a clear message about the deep ties between the peoples and the legitimacy of the Israeli presence in the area, calling it a major diplomatic victory and proof, in their view, that Judea and Samaria are an inseparable part of Israel.
