U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem to open in May
State Department confirms opening of embassy in Jerusalem will coincide with Israel’s 70th Independence Day.
The State Department confirmed on Friday that the United States will open a new embassy in Jerusalem in May to coincide with Israel’s 70th Independence Day.
The embassy will be in located in the building that houses the consular operation in Jerusalem before moving to a separate annex by the end of 2019, the State Department said, according to Reuters.
The announcement confirms earlier statements by officials in the Trump administration regarding the embassy.
A senior State Department official had said Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had approved a security plan late Thursday for an embassy location to open in Jerusalem.
The embassy would be in an annex of an existing U.S. facility in the neighborhood of Arnona.
The official told Fox News that the hope is for the U.S. to develop only a “footprint” there in May, with a target of a fuller complement and facility by the end of 2019.
Administration officials said that Congress would be notified of the May move on Friday.