Biden-Harris Administration Can’t Explain Why It Wants a Palestinian Consulate in Israel

MILLER Every once in ░░░░░░░░ while I come here ░░░░░░░░ talk about the nature ░░░░░░░░ some of those communications ░░░░░░░░ I think they know ░░░░░░░░ clearly what our opinion ░░░░░░░░ this matter is Reporter ░░░░░░░░ I just follow up ░░░░░░░░ quickly on your response ░░░░░░░░ the consulate MILLER Yeah ░░░░░░░░ What s your view ░░░░░░░░ whether on the legality ░░░░░░░░ you probably don t ░░░░░░░░ to take legal questions ░░░░░░░░ se but its legislation ░░░░░░░░ saying that the U ░░░░░░░░ can t establish a ░░░░░░░░ It s a diplomatic ░░░░░░░░ Obviously Israel has control ░░░░░░░░ the land et cetera ░░░░░░░░ can the U S ░░░░░░░░ the U S have ░░░░░░░░ abide by this MILLER ░░░░░░░░ re right it s ░░░░░░░░ legal question that unfortunately ░░░░░░░░ m unqualified to answer ░░░░░░░░ don t know the ░░░░░░░░ We ve opposed it ░░░░░░░░ policy grounds Lee Well ░░░░░░░░ the U S Government ░░░░░░░░ administration actually closed down ░░░░░░░░ consulate is it your ░░░░░░░░ s your understanding that ░░░░░░░░ was just an that ░░░░░░░░ a decision by one ░░░░░░░░ it s not binding ░░░░░░░░ you You want to ░░░░░░░░ it they say no ░░░░░░░░ if they re not ░░░░░░░░ to let you reopen ░░░░░░░░ would you consider requiring ░░░░░░░░ to shut down one ░░░░░░░░ more of its consulates ░░░░░░░░ the United States MILLER ░░░░░░░░ first of all you ░░░░░░░░ right the previous administration ░░░░░░░░ a policy decision not ░░░░░░░░ I m sorry made ░░░░░░░░ policy decision to shut ░░░░░░░░ that embassy Lee Consulate ░░░░░░░░ Consulate excuse me I ░░░░░░░░ not going to talk ░░░░░░░░ what our potential response ░░░░░░░░ are not considering any ░░░░░░░░ step at this time ░░░░░░░░ we ve made quite ░░░░░░░░ to the Government of ░░░░░░░░ that we oppose the ░░░░░░░░ Lee Well do you ░░░░░░░░ okay But do you ░░░░░░░░ this as some kind ░░░░░░░░ an infringement on your ░░░░░░░░ mean where the consulate ░░░░░░░░ or the building still ░░░░░░░░ is in Israel So ░░░░░░░░ s not in a ░░░░░░░░ territory Would you consider ░░░░░░░░ a consulate say in ░░░░░░░░ for the Palestinians MILLER ░░░░░░░░ don t want to ░░░░░░░░ into what we may ░░░░░░░░ may not consider We ░░░░░░░░ to see QUESTION Or ░░░░░░░░ or someplace MILLER We ░░░░░░░░ to believe it s ░░░░░░░░ to open a consulate ░░░░░░░░ I don t want ░░░░░░░░ get into what we ░░░░░░░░ or may not do ░░░░░░░░ Well so MILLER Again ░░░░░░░░ You oppose the legislation ░░░░░░░░ yet it is Israel ░░░░░░░░ s their territory MILLER ░░░░░░░░ Lee And I don ░░░░░░░░ think that the place ░░░░░░░░ the consulate is located ░░░░░░░░ it s not contested ░░░░░░░░ is in West Jerusalem ░░░░░░░░ believe Is that right ░░░░░░░░ so it s theirs ░░░░░░░░ they can tell you ░░░░░░░░ they want you to ░░░░░░░░ this consulate open there ░░░░░░░░ not But and there ░░░░░░░░ be legitimate reasons for ░░░░░░░░ wanting to have a ░░░░░░░░ that is dedicated to ░░░░░░░░ the Palestinians in Israel ░░░░░░░░ Yes MILLER Well they ░░░░░░░░ speak for themselves what ░░░░░░░░ reasons may or may ░░░░░░░░ be We disagree Lee ░░░░░░░░ the MILLER We disagree ░░░░░░░░ their decision to prevent ░░░░░░░░ from opening one Lee ░░░░░░░░ But why okay why ░░░░░░░░ it so important other ░░░░░░░░ the historical nature of ░░░░░░░░ I mean MILLER The ░░░░░░░░ nature of it is ░░░░░░░░ That is Lee Yes ░░░░░░░░ MILLER That s an ░░░░░░░░ is an important Lee ░░░░░░░░ is a huge MILLER ░░░░░░░░ is an important one ░░░░░░░░ It s a huge ░░░░░░░░ it is But other ░░░░░░░░ that is there a ░░░░░░░░ that a consulate couldn ░░░░░░░░ for the Palestinians couldn ░░░░░░░░ be opened someplace else ░░░░░░░░ I don t want ░░░░░░░░ get into previewing what ░░░░░░░░ may or may not ░░░░░░░░ I will tell you ░░░░░░░░ of today we ll ░░░░░░░░ to provide engagement with ░░░░░░░░ and with the Palestinian ░░░░░░░░ through our Office of ░░░░░░░░ Affairs in Jerusalem.”