Haaretz: US transfer of consulate from East to West Jerusalem

American officials have announced that the US is studying the possibility of transferring its consulate from Eastern Jerusalem to the Western part of the city for security reasons.

The Israeli daily Haaretz said that the decision providing for transferring the consulate to west Jerusalem was actually taken.

Such a decision might anger the Palestinians who want East Jerusalem to be the capital for the next Palestinian state.

The American consulate in East Jerusalem provides services to the Palestinians of Jerusalem and the West bank. There is also a second consulate in the western part.

The spokeswoman for the consulate said that the location of the consulate near "the wailing wall" is not in line with the security conditions. She added that special characteristics for the new location have been set.

The Palestinian parliament member for East Jerusalem Ziad Abu Ziad said that "transferring the American consulate to the western part means that the American administration supports Israel's claims to control the two parts of Jerusalem. And this will be a change in the commonly known American position concerning East Jerusalem." Haaretz said that the consulate will be transferred to the Arnona quarters on the line separating the two parts of the city.