Israeli Alternate Prime Minister Yair Lapid and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken

Israeli officials have stated that " “Israel" has asked the United States not to go forward with reopening the US consulate in Al- Quds (Occupied Jerusalem) until the end of summer so as not to make things difficult for the Israeli government.”

Israeli news website Walla mentioned that the Americans “understand the situation, and it is possible that the issue will come up again for discussion only in September.”

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had announced this past May that the US “plans to reopen its consulate” in Al-Quds after the former administration shut it down in 2019.

Netanyahu had asked in a meeting with Blinken in May, during his premiership, that the US consulate be opened in Ramallah or the town of Abu Dis. Blinken refused Netanyahu’s request, and clarified that the administration wants the consulate to be in Al-Quds.

Netanyahu then told Blinken that he is planning on making political use of the issue and that if they “insist on opening the consulate in Al-Quds, you will only help me gain political points,” according to Walla.