JERUSALEM – Workmen on Monday put up street signs to the US embassy due toopen in Jerusalem on May 14, a move hailed as historic by Israel butloathed by Palestinians.
Municipal workers erected signposts reading “US Embassy” in Hebrew, Arabicand English around the site, currently a US consular building, in thecity’s Arnona neighbourhood.
Breaking with decades of US diplomacy and international consensus PresidentDonald Trump announced on December 6 the recognition of Jerusalem as thecapital of Israel and the transfer of the embassy, located until now in TelAviv.
The embassy is to get a festive inauguration next Monday, to coincide withthe 70th anniversary of the foundation of the state of Israel.
Small in size, it will initially occupy part of the consular workspacepending planning and construction of a purpose-built embassy, a long-termproject according to the US State Department.
Trump’s unilateral decision delighted the Israelis and enraged thePalestinians, who want to make the eastern, mainly Palestinian, part of thecity the capital of their future state and who say Trump´s decision ignorestheir demands.
The question of Jerusalem is one of the thorniest of theIsraeli-Palestinian conflict.
Palestinian leaders are refusing to meet Trump’s peace negotiators becauseof the embassy row.