Embassy of the United States, Jerusalem

Embassy of the United States, Jerusalem

Location Jerusalem, Israel
Address 14 David Flusser Street
Coordinates 31°44′52″N 35°13′29″E / 31.74778°N 35.22472°E / 31.74778; 35.22472Coordinates: 31°44′52″N 35°13′29″E / 31.74778°N 35.22472°E / 31.74778; 35.22472
Ambassador David M. Friedman
(March 29, 2017–present)
Website il.usembassy.gov

The Embassy of the United States of America in Jerusalem is the diplomatic mission of the United States of America to the State of Israel, located in the Talpiot neighborhood of Jerusalem.

History

The Embassy opened at its Jerusalem location on May 14, 2018, the 70th anniversary of the creation of the modern State of Israel.[1] It was relocated from its consulate in Tel Aviv by the Donald Trump Administration and is on the site of the previous US Consulate. The opening prayer was delivered by the Evangelical Reverend Robert Jeffress, and the closing prayer was given by the Evangelical Reverend John C. Hagee.[2][3][4]

The move came 23 years after the passage of the Jerusalem Embassy Act of October 23, 1995, which set a deadline of May 31, 1999, for the move.[5] The Clinton, Bush, and Obama administrations had all deferred the move. Eugene Kontorovich claimed that the decision to shift the US embassy to this area is tantamount to the United States recognizing Israeli sovereignty over land that it captured in the Six-Day War in 1967.[6]

However, despite the move of the Embassy to Jerusalem, President Trump signed on June 4, 2018 an executive order postponing the move of the Embassy to Jerusalem, although it already moved to that city. He was required to sign the order since the Jerusalem Embassy Act requires the US Ambassador to have a permanent residence in Jerusalem, a condition not yet fulfilled.[7]

Location

The embassy straddles the 1949–67 Armistice line in Jerusalem, located partially in West Jerusalem and partially in no man's land.[8][6] A senior United Nations official stated: "Under international law it is still occupied territory, because neither party had any right to occupy the area between the lines".[8]

Impact of move

Palestinian officials warned that it could lead to an "inactive war" and violent protests.[9] The Embassy's opening coincided with the bloodiest day of the 2018 Gaza border protests, with more than 57 Palestinians killed.[10][11] French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian said, "This decision contravenes international law and in particular the resolutions of the Security Council and the UN General Assembly".[10]

The opening of a new US Embassy in Jerusalem led several other countries to move their embassies to Jerusalem. Two days after the US Embassy opened, Guatemala moved its embassy to Israel back to Jerusalem.[12] Paraguay also opened a Jerusalem embassy to Israel, citing the US precedent.[13]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Editorial: On the 70th anniversary of the establishment of Israel, its people would do well to reflect on the peaceful spirit of the agreement". The Independent. London, England: Independent Print Ltd. May 12, 2018. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
  2. ↑ Adam Shatz, 'The sea is the same sea,' The London Review of Books Vol. 40 No. 16, 30 August 2018 pages 24-28.
  3. ↑ Matthew Haag, 'Robert Jeffress, Pastor Who Said Jews Are Going to Hell, Led Prayer at Jerusalem Embassy,' New York Times 14 May 2018
  4. ↑ Lahav Harkov, Pastor at Jerusalem embassy event said Jews, Mormons, Muslims going to hell,' Jerusalem Post 14 May 2018
  5. ↑ Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995, Pub.L. 104–45, November 8, 1995, 109 Stat. 398.
  6. 1 2 Isabel Kershner, New U.S. Embassy May Be in Jerusalem, but Not in Israel,' New York Times, 7 March 2018.
  7. ↑ Trump again signs embassy waiver despite move to Jerusalem
  8. 1 2 Stephen Farrell, Maayan Lubell, U.S. Jerusalem embassy lies 'at the end of the world', Reuters, 14 May 2018: "In February, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert conceded that the embassy site “is located partly in West Jerusalem and what’s called the no man’s land”. This was confirmed by a senior United Nations official, who was not authorized to speak publicly given the sensitivity of the issue. “There is some uncertainty about exactly where the line runs through the property, but I don’t think there is any uncertainty about the fact that the line runs through it,” he told Reuters. “Under international law it is still occupied territory, because neither party had any right to occupy the area between the lines.” When Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital he left the door open for Israel and the Palestinians to divide the city between them by stating he was not taking a position on “the resolution of contested borders”. But Nabil Shaath, a veteran Palestinian diplomat, said the embassy’s relocation could complicate future peace talks. “Setting the embassy on No Man’s Land is really a violation of the demographic and geographic division of Jerusalem,” he said last week."
  9. ↑ "Impact of moving U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem". CBS News. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
  10. 1 2 Wagner, Meg; Ries, Brian (May 14, 2018). "Dozens die in Gaza as US Embassy opens: Live updates". CNN. Atlanta, Georgia. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
  11. ↑ Holmes, Oliver; Balousha, Hazem (May 15, 2018). "Palestinians to bury 58 people killed in US embassy protests". The Guardian. London, England: Guardian Media Group. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
  12. ↑ TOI staff and Raphael Ahern (May 15, 2018). "Guatemala set to open Jerusalem embassy, days after US". Times of Israel.
  13. ↑ Raphael Ahern (May 21, 2018). "Paraguay becomes third country to open embassy in Jerusalem". Times of Israel. Retrieved May 21, 2018.
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