The United States on Wednesday (July 01) signed an agreement to build a permanent embassy compound in Jerusalem, with Israel calling the move another sign of the "unbreakable alliance" between the two countries. The new diplomatic complex will be built at the Allenby compound in southern Jerusalem.&nbsp;Speaking at the signing ceremony at Israel's foreign ministry, US Ambassador Mike Huckabee said Washington "recognises Jerusalem as the eternal, indigenous, and forever capital of the Jewish people".&nbsp;Huckabee said the United States was making a lasting commitment to its diplomatic presence in Israel.&nbsp;"We are going to plant our flag, our American flag, on the soil of Jerusalem for a permanent and brand new embassy compound that will serve as our mothership of diplomatic activities here in Israel," he said.&nbsp;"I would say God made that decision 3,800 years ago, and we finally got around to acknowledging what had been determined long before the United States of America came along."&nbsp;Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said the agreement to construct a permanent US embassy in Jerusalem further strengthened ties between the two allies.&nbsp;"President Trump's historic decision in 2017 to move the embassy to Jerusalem set the record straight," Saar said.&nbsp;“And today, with the agreement to begin building a permanent embassy complex, that decision becomes even deeper and more enduring.”&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-tariff-blow-trump-refuses-to-extend-us-trade-pact-with-canada-and-mexico-he-negotiated-in-first-term-1782936096825">After tariff blow, Trump refuses to extend US trade pact with Canada and Mexico he negotiated in first term</a>&nbsp;The agreement follows President Donald Trump's decision during his first term to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December 2017 and relocate the US embassy from Tel Aviv.&nbsp;The US went ahead with the plan even though Palestinians continue to seek East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state. Because of these competing claims, most countries have kept their embassies in Tel Aviv, maintaining that Jerusalem's final status should be settled through peace negotiations in line with international law and relevant United Nations resolutions.&nbsp;The agreement also comes after reports of differences between the United States and Israel over Israeli military strikes in Lebanon, which raised concerns about reigniting the conflict with Iran.&nbsp;&nbsp;The development follows the recent US and Israeli military campaign against Iran that ended with a ceasefire, despite signs of friction between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over how the conflict should conclude.

The agreement comes years after President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital during his first term and shifted the US embassy from Tel Aviv in 2017.

The United States on Wednesday (July 01) signed an agreement to build a permanent embassy compound in Jerusalem, with Israel calling the move another sign of the "unbreakable alliance" between the two countries. The new diplomatic complex will be built at the Allenby compound in southern Jerusalem. Speaking at the signing ceremony at Israel's foreign ministry, US Ambassador Mike Huckabee said Washington "recognises Jerusalem as the eternal, indigenous, and forever capital of the Jewish people". Huckabee said the United States was making a lasting commitment to its diplomatic presence in Israel. "We are going to plant our flag, our American flag, on the soil of Jerusalem for a permanent and brand new embassy compound that will serve as our mothership of diplomatic activities here in Israel," he said. "I would say God made that decision 3,800 years ago, and we finally got around to acknowledging what had been determined long before the United States of America came along." Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said the agreement to construct a permanent US embassy in Jerusalem further strengthened ties between the two allies. "President Trump's historic decision in 2017 to move the embassy to Jerusalem set the record straight," Saar said. “And today, with the agreement to begin building a permanent embassy complex, that decision becomes even deeper and more enduring.” Also Read: After tariff blow, Trump refuses to extend US trade pact with Canada and Mexico he negotiated in first term The agreement follows President Donald Trump's decision during his first term to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December 2017 and relocate the US embassy from Tel Aviv. The US went ahead with the plan even though Palestinians continue to seek East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state. Because of these competing claims, most countries have kept their embassies in Tel Aviv, maintaining that Jerusalem's final status should be settled through peace negotiations in line with international law and relevant United Nations resolutions. The agreement also comes after reports of differences between the United States and Israel over Israeli military strikes in Lebanon, which raised concerns about reigniting the conflict with Iran. The development follows the recent US and Israeli military campaign against Iran that ended with a ceasefire, despite signs of friction between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over how the conflict should conclude.

The move builds on President Donald Trump's decision during his first term to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital in 2017 and relocate the US embassy from Tel Aviv.

'Forever capital of the Jewish people': US signs agreement to build permanent embassy in Jerusalem

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took a step back on Thursday from comments, challenged by U.S. President Donald Trump, that envisioned a one-year timeframe for the planned relocation of the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

An official in Netanyahu&#39;s office said the prime minister recognised that construction of a new embassy will take years but believes Washington is considering &quot;interim measures that could result in an embassy opening much faster&quot;.

The official, who declined to be named, did not define those steps or mention any dates for a Jerusalem embassy to begin operating. In the past, Israeli media have speculated that, before a building is ready, the U.S. ambassador would operate part of the time out of a temporary location in Jerusalem.

Reversing decades of U.S. policy, Trump in early December recognised Jerusalem as Israel&rsquo;s capital and set in motion the process of moving the embassy from Tel Aviv, imperilling Middle East peace efforts and upsetting the Arab world and Western allies alike.

Netanyahu, according to Israeli reporters travelling with him on a trip to India, said on Wednesday: &quot;My solid assessment is that it will go much faster than you think - within a year from now.&quot;

Asked about Netanyahu&rsquo;s comment, Trump told Reuters in an interview that was not the case. &quot;By the end of the year? We&rsquo;re talking about different scenarios - I mean obviously that would be on a temporary basis. We&rsquo;re not really looking at that. That&#39;s no.&quot;

The Israeli official, responding to Trump&#39;s remarks, said: &quot;The president and the prime minister are not saying anything different&quot;.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said last month the embassy move was &quot;probably no earlier than three years out, and that&rsquo;s pretty ambitious&quot;, a timeframe that administration officials have attributed to the logistics of finding and securing a site as well as arranging housing for diplomats.

Jerusalem is home to sites holy to the Muslim, Jewish and Christian religions. The Palestinians want East Jerusalem, which Israel captured in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war and annexed in a move not recognised internationally, as the capital of their future state.

An official in Netanyahu's office said the prime minister recognised that construction of a new embassy will take years

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took a step back on Thursday from comments, challenged by U.S. President Donald Trump, that envisioned a one-year timeframe for the planned relocation of the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. An official in Netanyahu's office said the prime minister recognised that construction of a new embassy will take years but believes Washington is considering "interim measures that could result in an embassy opening much faster". The official, who declined to be named, did not define those steps or mention any dates for a Jerusalem embassy to begin operating. In the past, Israeli media have speculated that, before a building is ready, the U.S. ambassador would operate part of the time out of a temporary location in Jerusalem. Reversing decades of U.S. policy, Trump in early December recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and set in motion the process of moving the embassy from Tel Aviv, imperilling Middle East peace efforts and upsetting the Arab world and Western allies alike. Netanyahu, according to Israeli reporters travelling with him on a trip to India, said on Wednesday: "My solid assessment is that it will go much faster than you think - within a year from now." Asked about Netanyahu’s comment, Trump told Reuters in an interview that was not the case. "By the end of the year? We’re talking about different scenarios - I mean obviously that would be on a temporary basis. We’re not really looking at that. That's no." The Israeli official, responding to Trump's remarks, said: "The president and the prime minister are not saying anything different". U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said last month the embassy move was "probably no earlier than three years out, and that’s pretty ambitious", a timeframe that administration officials have attributed to the logistics of finding and securing a site as well as arranging housing for diplomats. Jerusalem is home to sites holy to the Muslim, Jewish and Christian religions. The Palestinians want East Jerusalem, which Israel captured in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war and annexed in a move not recognised internationally, as the capital of their future state.

After Trump denial, Netanyahu clarifies remarks on timeframe for US embassy in Jerusalem

President Donald Trump postponed moving the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem on Thursday, avoiding a provocative step as he tries to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who welcomed Trump to the city last week, expressed disappointment at the delay but made it clear he still values Trump&#39;s support.

And the Palestinian leadership were relieved by a decision that they said &quot;gives peace a chance.&quot;&nbsp;

On the campaign trail Trump repeatedly pledged that he would shift the embassy from Tel Aviv to the city claimed as capital by both Israel and its Palestinian neighbors and he appointed a US ambassador who shares this goal.

But since coming to office in January, Trump has met with both Israeli and Palestinian leaders in Washington and in a visit to the region last week and has committed himself to seeking a long-elusive final peace deal between them.

Congress passed a law in 1995 making it US policy to move the embassy to Jerusalem, symbolically endorsing Israel&#39;s claim on the city as its capital.

But the law contained a clause that has allowed each president since to issue and renew a six-month waiver on carrying out the move.

On Thursday, the waiver came up for renewal for the first time on Trump&#39;s watch, and he followed the example of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama before him in instructing his secretary of state to hold off on the move.

No retreat&nbsp;

&quot;No one should consider this step to be in any way a retreat from the president&#39;s strong support for Israel and for the United States-Israel alliance,&quot; the White House said, in a written statement.

&quot;President Trump made this decision to maximize the chances of successfully negotiating a deal between Israel and the Palestinians, fulfilling his solemn obligation to defend America&#39;s national security interests,&quot; it explained.

&quot;But, as he has repeatedly stated his intention to move the embassy, the question is not if that move happens, but only when.&quot;

Netanyahu&#39;s office expressed disappointment, but not anger.

&quot;Maintaining embassies outside the capital drives peace further away by helping keep alive the Palestinian fantasy that the Jewish people and the Jewish state have no connection to Jerusalem,&quot; a statement said.

&quot;Though Israel is disappointed that the embassy will not move at this time, we appreciate today&#39;s expression of President Trump&#39;s friendship to Israel and his commitment to moving the embassy in the future.&quot;

Hussam Zomlot, Palestinian ambassador to the United States, also issued a statement.

&quot;This is in line with the long-held US policy and the international consensus and it gives peace a chance,&quot; &nbsp;he said.

&quot;We are ready to start the consultation process with the US administration. We are serious and genuine about achieving a just and lasting peace.&quot;

A US official speaking on condition of anonymity stressed to AFP that &quot;it&#39;s a question of when, not if,&quot; and added that &quot;he doesn&#39;t think the timing is right, right now.&quot;

&quot;In timing such a move he will seek to maximize the chances of successfully negotiating a deal between Israel and the Palestinians,&quot; he said.

Peace process&nbsp;

Trump&#39;s closest advisors are reported to be divided about the wisdom of quickly making good on the pledge, a move that would delight many Israelis but dismay Palestinians and raise concerns among Israel&#39;s Arab neighbors.

White House strategy chief Steve Bannon supports the move, but Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is less keen and has said Trump is &quot;being very careful to understand how such a decision would impact the peace process.&quot;

In Washington, pro-Israel lobby groups are also divided on the policy.&nbsp;

Progressive group J Street, which favors a two-state peace deal with the Palestinians, welcomed the delay to a move that could imperil efforts to find a deal on the status of the city negotiated between Israelis and Palestinians.

&quot;American governments have avoided and objected to actions that could be interpreted as prejudging the outcome of those negotiations,&quot; the group argued.&nbsp;

But the biggest pro-Israeli group in the US capital, AIPAC, expressed concern.

&quot;We are disappointed that the president has not yet followed through on his pledge to move the embassy, and we hope that he does so soon,&quot; it said.

Jerusalem was divided between Israeli rule in the west and Jordanian in the east until 1967, when Israel was attacked by allied Arab armies.

Israel fought back and its victory left it in control of East Jerusalem. Its government is now based in the city, and settlements have been built around it on occupied land.

Palestinians want East Jerusalem -- including the Old City and its sites holy to Muslims, Jews and Christians -- to become the capital of their eventual state.

(AFP)

The US president wanted avoid another flash point in the region as he attempts to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process

President Donald Trump postponed moving the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem on Thursday, avoiding a provocative step as he tries to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who welcomed Trump to the city last week, expressed disappointment at the delay but made it clear he still values Trump's support. And the Palestinian leadership were relieved by a decision that they said "gives peace a chance." On the campaign trail Trump repeatedly pledged that he would shift the embassy from Tel Aviv to the city claimed as capital by both Israel and its Palestinian neighbors and he appointed a US ambassador who shares this goal. But since coming to office in January, Trump has met with both Israeli and Palestinian leaders in Washington and in a visit to the region last week and has committed himself to seeking a long-elusive final peace deal between them. Congress passed a law in 1995 making it US policy to move the embassy to Jerusalem, symbolically endorsing Israel's claim on the city as its capital. But the law contained a clause that has allowed each president since to issue and renew a six-month waiver on carrying out the move. On Thursday, the waiver came up for renewal for the first time on Trump's watch, and he followed the example of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama before him in instructing his secretary of state to hold off on the move. No retreat "No one should consider this step to be in any way a retreat from the president's strong support for Israel and for the United States-Israel alliance," the White House said, in a written statement. "President Trump made this decision to maximize the chances of successfully negotiating a deal between Israel and the Palestinians, fulfilling his solemn obligation to defend America's national security interests," it explained. "But, as he has repeatedly stated his intention to move the embassy, the question is not if that move happens, but only when." Netanyahu's office expressed disappointment, but not anger. "Maintaining embassies outside the capital drives peace further away by helping keep alive the Palestinian fantasy that the Jewish people and the Jewish state have no connection to Jerusalem," a statement said. "Though Israel is disappointed that the embassy will not move at this time, we appreciate today's expression of President Trump's friendship to Israel and his commitment to moving the embassy in the future." Hussam Zomlot, Palestinian ambassador to the United States, also issued a statement. "This is in line with the long-held US policy and the international consensus and it gives peace a chance," he said. "We are ready to start the consultation process with the US administration. We are serious and genuine about achieving a just and lasting peace." A US official speaking on condition of anonymity stressed to AFP that "it's a question of when, not if," and added that "he doesn't think the timing is right, right now." "In timing such a move he will seek to maximize the chances of successfully negotiating a deal between Israel and the Palestinians," he said. Peace process Trump's closest advisors are reported to be divided about the wisdom of quickly making good on the pledge, a move that would delight many Israelis but dismay Palestinians and raise concerns among Israel's Arab neighbors. White House strategy chief Steve Bannon supports the move, but Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is less keen and has said Trump is "being very careful to understand how such a decision would impact the peace process." In Washington, pro-Israel lobby groups are also divided on the policy. Progressive group J Street, which favors a two-state peace deal with the Palestinians, welcomed the delay to a move that could imperil efforts to find a deal on the status of the city negotiated between Israelis and Palestinians. "American governments have avoided and objected to actions that could be interpreted as prejudging the outcome of those negotiations," the group argued. But the biggest pro-Israeli group in the US capital, AIPAC, expressed concern. "We are disappointed that the president has not yet followed through on his pledge to move the embassy, and we hope that he does so soon," it said. Jerusalem was divided between Israeli rule in the west and Jordanian in the east until 1967, when Israel was attacked by allied Arab armies. Israel fought back and its victory left it in control of East Jerusalem. Its government is now based in the city, and settlements have been built around it on occupied land. Palestinians want East Jerusalem -- including the Old City and its sites holy to Muslims, Jews and Christians -- to become the capital of their eventual state. (AFP)

Palestinians happy as Trump delays moving US embassy to Jerusalem

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas discussed the Middle East with Pope Francis on Saturday and said prospects for peace there will suffer if US&nbsp;president-elect Donald Trump moves Washington&#39;s embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

&quot;We are waiting to see if it happens. If it does, it will not help peace and we hope it does not happen,&quot; Abbas told reporters outside the Vatican gates minutes after 25 minutes of talks with the pope.

Abbas, who spoke through an interpreter, stopped in Rome to open the new embassy of the State of Palestine to the Vatican.

Trump&#39;s promise to relocate the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem would upend decades of US policy. Israel and the Palestinians, who are seeking a state of their own, both claim Jerusalem as their capital. Successive US&nbsp;administrations have said the city&rsquo;s status must be negotiated.

Jerusalem, which Israeli has declared its &quot;united and eternal capital,&quot; is home to sites sacred to Jews, Muslims and Christians.

The Vatican, which keeps its embassy to Israel in Jaffa and also backs a two-state solution, implicitly recognised a Palestinian state for years but in 2015 made it official by signing a treaty with the State of Palestine.

As he was leaving the pope&#39;s study, Abbas said the opening of the new embassy to the Vatican was &quot;a sign that the pope loves the people of Palestine and loves peace.&quot;

In a statement, the Vatican called for a resumption of direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians &quot;to bring an end to the violence that causes unacceptable suffering to civilian populations, and to find a just and lasting solution.&quot;

It called for a climate that could lead to &quot;courageous decisions&quot;.

In an interview with Le Figaro newspaper on Saturday Abbas said he had written to Trump to warn him against moving the embassy.

&quot;Not only would it strip the United States of all its legitimacy to play a role in resolving the conflict, but it would reduce to nothing a two-state solution.&quot;

He said the Palestinians would discuss several options on how to respond after consultations with Arab states.

&quot;Going back on our recognition of Israel is one of them, but we hope that we won&#39;t get there and will be able to work with the next American administration,&quot; Abbas said.

(Reuters)

Trump has promised to relocate the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem - a city which both Israel and Palestine claim as their capital

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas discussed the Middle East with Pope Francis on Saturday and said prospects for peace there will suffer if US president-elect Donald Trump moves Washington's embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. "We are waiting to see if it happens. If it does, it will not help peace and we hope it does not happen," Abbas told reporters outside the Vatican gates minutes after 25 minutes of talks with the pope. Abbas, who spoke through an interpreter, stopped in Rome to open the new embassy of the State of Palestine to the Vatican. Trump's promise to relocate the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem would upend decades of US policy. Israel and the Palestinians, who are seeking a state of their own, both claim Jerusalem as their capital. Successive US administrations have said the city’s status must be negotiated. Jerusalem, which Israeli has declared its "united and eternal capital," is home to sites sacred to Jews, Muslims and Christians. The Vatican, which keeps its embassy to Israel in Jaffa and also backs a two-state solution, implicitly recognised a Palestinian state for years but in 2015 made it official by signing a treaty with the State of Palestine. As he was leaving the pope's study, Abbas said the opening of the new embassy to the Vatican was "a sign that the pope loves the people of Palestine and loves peace." In a statement, the Vatican called for a resumption of direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians "to bring an end to the violence that causes unacceptable suffering to civilian populations, and to find a just and lasting solution." It called for a climate that could lead to "courageous decisions". In an interview with Le Figaro newspaper on Saturday Abbas said he had written to Trump to warn him against moving the embassy. "Not only would it strip the United States of all its legitimacy to play a role in resolving the conflict, but it would reduce to nothing a two-state solution." He said the Palestinians would discuss several options on how to respond after consultations with Arab states. "Going back on our recognition of Israel is one of them, but we hope that we won't get there and will be able to work with the next American administration," Abbas said. (Reuters)

Palestinian president warns peace prospect will suffer in US embassy move