Arthur Stark, Chairman, and Malcolm Hoenlein, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations issued the following statement:
The decision announced today by United States Secretary of State Mick Pompeo that the US Consulate in Jerusalem would work under the auspices of the US Embassy in Jerusalem, which is located was recently relocated to Israel’s capital city, carries special importance. This move has been long discussed by previous administrations to correct an anomaly of a consulate acting independently and reporting directly to Washington. This is the only such case in the world. Secretary Pompeo reiterated that this does not reflect a change of US policy on Jerusalem, the West Bank, or Gaza, and that borders would be subject to a final status agreement. The State Department indicated that the full range of services and programming in the West Bank and Gaza, as well as for Palestinians in Jerusalem, would continue unabated, but with greater efficiency and effectiveness. These functions would still be fulfilled at the Consulate-General building in West Jerusalem. This latest decision to merge the two diplomatic agencies is a natural extension of the recent move of the US Embassy to Jerusalem.
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