Erdogan is carrying out illegal construction in Jerusalem – and the state is doing nothing

The Turkish consulate in Jerusalem, which works in close cooperation with the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah, is apparently committing building violations while preventing Israeli inspectors from entering the compound. In other words: Erdogan is building illegally in Jerusalem and the state is doing nothing. The Jerusalem Municipality is expected to intervene. A study by the Jerusalem Center for Applied Policy exposes this building violation, and former council member Yair Gabai has appealed to the municipality.

This is setting in motion a complicated bureaucratic process, as it involves a foreign mission. However, as of now, this consulate, whose representatives are loyal to the Palestinian Authority and operate from the heart of Israel's capital, not only continues to function but is building illegally. To our knowledge, the diplomats there do not currently allow municipal representatives to enter the building.

Former council member Yair Gabai said:

"The Turkish consulate is trampling on our sovereignty in East Jerusalem with a heavy hand. What starts with a violation of planning and building laws continues with support for Hamas and harms the interests and national security of us all. I call on the Prime Minister to take this matter into his own hands and close the Turkish consulate."

We reached out to the relevant parties at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is responsible, along with the Israeli government, for the fact that this consulate continues to operate, and they chose not to comment on the matter. The Jerusalem Municipality told us: "The municipality works to enforce the law equally throughout the city. In certain actions such as these, coordination with bodies external to the municipality is required, and since a response has not yet been received, the municipality has not begun enforcement actions."

From the Jerusalem Police, it was stated in response:

"We will clarify that to this date, no official request has been received from the Jerusalem Municipality regarding the mentioned compound. In accordance with the policy of the Jerusalem District Commander, the district's dedicated demolition unit works for the fast, determined, and uncompromising execution of demolition orders, while giving top priority to those that directly concern aspects of sovereignty, governance, and upholding the law."

We note that as far as we were able to ascertain, the Jerusalem Municipality has not yet initiated an official request through the proper procedure. We hope that perhaps this report will cause the authorities to work with greater urgency. As of now, the Turkish consulate in Jerusalem continues to operate and build illegally.