The United States Ambassador to Israel will not immediately move into the new embassy in Jerusalem, and will instead continue to work in Tel Aviv at least part of the time, The New York Times reports.
The embassy is being temporarily relocated to the former consular services section of the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem, though part of the diplomatic compound is located in a contested area known as No Man’s Land on the border of Israel and Jordan. The Palestinian Liberation Organization considers this "occupied territory," Ashraf Khatib of the PLO’s Negotiations Affairs Department told the Times. "Any permanent status for that territory should be part of a final status negotiation."
The offices, which are set to open on Monday, cannot accommodate the entire embassy staff, so the majority will remain in Tel Aviv. Ambassador David M. Friedman will work out of both, though officially his office is being relocated to Jerusalem.
President Donald Trump’s decision to relocate the U.S. embassy, which followed his recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, caused controversy when first announced. Critics said it would isolate Israel in the region, and that it presupposes the outcome of any future Israeli-Palestinian agreement about the city.
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