President Donald Trump in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House signs an order beginning the process of moving the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel to Jerusalem on December 6, 2017.
The U.S. State Department announced the dedication ceremony for the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem has been scheduled for Monday, May 14. Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump will attend along with U.S. Treasury Department Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
Deputy Secretary John J. Sullivan, who is leading the Presidential Delegation to the historic opening, will meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu beforehand. He will also meet with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Tzipi Hotovely, the Director General Yuval Rotem and various members of both our Embassy and Consulate General staff.
In December 2017, President Donald Trump made the “historic decision” to “officially recognize” Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, announcing the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv would be moved. He said it was “long overdue” and “the right thing to do,” adding that Israel “like every other sovereign nation has the right to determine its capital.”
U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd L) shakes hands, after signing the guest book, with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin (2nd R) with his wife Nechama Reuven (R) and first lady Melania Trump (L), in Jerusalem May 22, 2017. (Photo: Reuters)
The decision not only fulfills a major campaign promise to religious conservatives and the vast majority of Americans who support Israel but also a 22-year old national promise to the key ally.
In 1995, Congress passed The Jerusalem Embassy and Relocation Act, which recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and called for moving the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Waivers are permitted by presidents in the event national security is a concern, which President Trump signed in June.
But Vice President Mike Pence told the Knesset in January that the U.S. Embassy will be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem by the end of 2019, ahead of schedule. His remarks, which received a standing ovation, came during the first ever address by a sitting U.S. vice president to the Israeli parliament.
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen wave as they landed at Tel Aviv airport Sunday, Jan. 21, 2018. Pence will pay a three day visit to Israel. (Photo: AP)
FULL STATEMENT BELOW
The Department of State is proud to announce that the U.S. Embassy to Israel in Jerusalem will be dedicated on Monday, May 14. Ambassador David M. Friedman will preside over the dedication ceremony and Deputy Secretary John J. Sullivan will lead the Presidential Delegation to the historic opening along with Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin, Senior Advisor Jared Kushner, Advisor Ivanka Trump, and Special Representative for International Negotiations Jason Greenblatt.
As the President stated on December 6, 2017, the historic opening of our embassy recognizes the reality that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and the seat of its government. Seventy years ago, the United States, under President Harry S Truman, became the first nation to recognize the State of Israel. Moving our Embassy is not a departure from our strong commitment to facilitate a lasting peace deal; rather it is a necessary condition for it. We are not taking a position on final status issues, including the specific boundaries of Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem, nor on the resolution of contested borders.
Consulate General Jerusalem will continue to operate as an independent mission with an unchanged mandate responsible for U.S. relations with the Palestinians and the Palestinian Authority. The United States continues to support the status quo with regard to the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount. The Administration is firmly committed to pursuing a lasting and comprehensive peace between Israel and the Palestinians that promises a brighter future for both.
While in Jerusalem as the Head of Delegation, Deputy Secretary Sullivan will also meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Tzipi Hotovely, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General Yuval Rotem, and members of both our Embassy and Consulate General staff.
The Department will livestream the Dedication Ceremony on www.state.gov and Facebook.com/usdos.
