The US embassy’s decision to construct a five-meter-high protective wall has led its Jewish neighbors to launch a protest campaign, accusing their US neighbor of acting contrary to the good spirit that characterizes [the residents’] relationship with the consulate and embassy.
The US requested a permission from the municipality to build a 5.8-meter-high fence, but this was denied and was given a permit to build only 3.2 meter-high fence.
The US formally opened its embassy in Jerusalem in May 2018, relocating from its former beachfront site in Tel Aviv, where it had been situated since its inauguration in 1966.
The municipality attributed its refusal to the residents’ objections and complaints. But Ambassador David Friedman insisted on his request, saying it was for security purposes.
He made sure moving the offices from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem was carried out in a slow pace and was keen to deliver his complaint to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who personally intervened with Mayor Moshe Lion.
Minister of Finance Moshe Kahlon also intervened and issued a decree authorizing the construction of the fence. Thus, the municipality issued the required construction permit.
However, residents launched their rejection campaign, explaining that they have welcomed the relocation of the embassy in the beginning and made sure they were good neighbors.
“We have endured the traffic and street closure several times, but the new wall is intolerably annoying,” residents said.
The residents’ campaign is led by Miryam Shomrat, a former Israeli diplomat and one of the neighbors.
According to Shomrat, who was Israel's ambassador to several countries, “the wall is about to completely block our access to the view which is part of our life in the area.”
“When I was the ambassador to Belgium, we wanted to raise the fence encircling the embassy by one meter, but the municipality refused. They even refused to install cameras around the building,” she said, affirming that the embassy didn’t object that decision.
Shomrat stressed that these are the diplomatic traditions as no embassy should tighten the noose on its neighbors.
