The US plan to reopen the consulate in Jerusalem, which has traditionally been a base for diplomatic contacts with the Palestinians, is a 'bad idea' and could destabilize the new government of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, said Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid.

Jerusalem is the sovereign capital of Israel and Israel alone, and therefore we do not think this is a good idea, he noted.

The reopening of the consulate could unsettle Bennett's government, Lapid said.

He noted that divisions among the Palestinians also cast doubt on the prospects for diplomacy.