Friday, February 23, 2018
Elder of Ziyon
From AP:
Two Trump administration officials say the new U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem will open in May to coincide with the 70th anniversary of Israel declaring independence.Israel's Independence Day this year comes out (according to the Hebrew calendar and adjustments to avoid Sabbath violations) on April 19, not May 14.
The officials say Congress is being notified of the impending move on Friday. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson signed off on the security plan for the new embassy on Thursday.
The officials weren't authorized to discuss the plan publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
A ribbon-cutting is being planned for mid-May, they said. Israel proclaimed independence on May 14, 1948.
A May opening would mark a significant acceleration. Vice President Mike Pence had said previously the embassy would open by the end of 2019, and Tillerson had said it could take years.
Initially, the embassy will consist of just a few offices inside an existing U.S. facility in Jerusalem. Opening a full-fledged embassy will likely cost hundreds of millions of dollars.
The Trump administration is considering an offer from Republican mega-donor Sheldon Adelson to pay for at least part of the new embassy.
But "Nakba Day" is celebrated every year on May 15th.
I guess if the Palestinians are going to act upset at the fact of Israel's existence on Nakba Day, they might as well add another reason and be upset at the fact that Jerusalem is Israel's capital as well.
