Russia announces opening of consular offices in West Jerusalem

Israel welcomes the move, calling the move a diplomatic achievement in line with its efforts to increase the number of foreign missions in West Jerusalem.

The Russian embassy in Israel will open offices in West Jerusalem to service its consular section as part of an agreement with the city, according to the embassy and Israel’s Foreign Ministry.

The Russian embassy in Israel said in a statement that on May 18 an agreement had been reached with the municipality on a piece of land in West Jerusalem that Russia purchased in 1885, after a process of years.

As part of the agreement, the property will be used to construct buildings that will be used by the embassy’s consular section, the statement said.

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen welcomed the agreement, which the ministry said was a diplomatic achievement in line with its efforts to increase the number of foreign missions in Jerusalem.

Russia planned to build the complex within five to 10 years, said Ambassador to Israel Anatoly Viktorov, who added that the deal “takes into account the interests of both our states”.

The status of Jerusalem — home to places sacred to Christians, Jews and Muslims — is one of the biggest obstacles to reaching a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians.

Israel, which occupied East Jerusalem in a Middle East war in 1967 and later annexed it, considers the city its eternal and indivisible capital. The Palestinian Authority (PA) is pushing for East Jerusalem — illegally occupied by Israel since 1967 — to become the capital of a Palestinian state.

The international community has largely failed to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the entire city, believing that the status of Jerusalem must be resolved through negotiations.

While most foreign embassies are located in Tel Aviv, four opened in Jerusalem after former US President Donald Trump announced US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in December 2017.

The US moved its embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in May of the following year.

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed serious concern at the time, saying that “such steps could destroy prospects for a peace process in the Middle East”.

However, the statement from the Russian embassy on Friday said the opening of a branch in Jerusalem is “in line with our country’s unchanging course towards a fair settlement in the Middle East.”

The Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority did not immediately comment on the Israel-Russia deal.

Israel’s ties with Russia have remained strained since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February last year.

About 15 percent of the population is immigrant from the former Soviet Union.