US signs deal to build permanent embassy compound in Jerusalem

JERUSALEM: The United States and Israel signed an agreement on Wednesday for the construction of a permanent American embassy compound in Jerusalem, formalising plans to consolidate Washington’s diplomatic presence in the city at a single site.

The move follows former US President Donald Trump’s December 2017 decision during his first term to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and shift the US embassy from Tel Aviv. Since then, American diplomatic services have operated from multiple locations in Jerusalem while authorities searched for a permanent compound.

Israel said the agreement underscored the close relationship between the two countries. At the signing ceremony at Israel’s foreign ministry, US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said the project reflected Washington’s position on the city and its long-term diplomatic presence there.

Huckabee said:

“The United States not only recognises Jerusalem as the eternal, indigenous, and forever capital of the Jewish people, but also that the United States says that we’re going to do something about it,”

He added:

“We are going to plant our flag, our American flag, on the soil of Jerusalem for a permanent and a brand new embassy compound that will serve as our mothership of diplomatic activities here in Israel.