President Donald Trump will not attend the opening of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem next week and will instead address the ceremony via video.
Axios cited a U.S. official who said Friday that Trump's video will be pre-recorded.
The official briefed reporters on the matter and said relocating the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem will help the prospect of finding peace in the Middle East.
"The Palestinians had, over the last 25 years, veto power over the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. It didn't help at all to make progress in the peace process," the official said.
"The moving of the embassy will make it clear to the Palestinians that the world is moving forward and circumstances change and they should get on board before it overtakes them."
Trump announced in December that he would relocate the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, a controversial move because it sends the message that America believes the holy city is Israel's capital. It was reported earlier this week that Trump and Vice President Mike Pence would not attend the opening of the new embassy in person, as Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, and White House advisers Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner will be there instead.
Both Israel and Palestine claim Jerusalem as their capitals.
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