The United States will move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in Israel in May 2019 instead of the proposed 2019 scheduled opening, said the US State Department.
This announcement moves up the new embassy’s opening by several months. The US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson’s has already approved of a security plan.
“The opening will coincide with Israel’s 70th anniversary. The Embassy will initially be located in the Arnona neighborhood, in a modern building that now houses consular operations of the US Consulate General Jerusalem,” the State Department spokesperson, Heather Nauert informed.
She added that the search for a site for a new US permanent embassy was still on.
“We are excited about taking this historic step and look forward with anticipation to the May opening,” the White House said in a statement.
Trump, who touted the Jerusalem move during a recent speech, is also considering the possibility of accepting donations from wealthy Jewish-American donors to fund the permanent facility.
On December 6 last year, Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in a controversial move prompting international criticism and sparking protests across the world.
Jerusalem is considered a sacred place, which is home to Jewish, Christian and Muslim holy sites. However, it is also a disputed territory, contested by both Israel and Palestine, which sees it as a capital of its future state.