US signs agreement to build permanent embassy in Jerusalem

The United States on Wednesday signed an agreement to build a new embassy compound in Jerusalem, in a move that Israel said reflected the "unbreakable alliance" between the countries.

During his first term, U.S. President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December 2017 and ordered the relocation of Washington's diplomatic mission from Tel Aviv.

But the services were spread across several locations in Jerusalem until a single permanent site could be found.

"The United States not only recognizes 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," U.S. ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said during a signing ceremony at Israel's foreign ministry.

"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.

"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," he added.

AFP