Passage of time. That’s what this location represents. We are standing before the Embassy of the United States in Jerusalem. This embassy symbolizes a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy.
The Embassy of the United States has a rich history. It is more than just a building. It represents the diplomatic ties between the United States and Israel.
The Embassy of the United States is located in Talpiot. Talpiot is a neighborhood in southeastern Jerusalem. The address is 14 David Flusser Street.
May 14 2018 marked a historic day. The U.S. Embassy opened in Jerusalem. This event coincided with the 70th anniversary of the creation of the State of Israel. The embassy was relocated from Tel Aviv. It was moved by the Trump Administration.
The U.S. Embassy is situated in the former U.S. Consulate in Arnona. Arnona is another neighborhood in Jerusalem. The opening prayer was delivered by Reverend Robert Jeffress. The closing prayer was given by Reverend John C. Hagee. Both are Evangelical Reverends.
The Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 set the stage for this move. It set a deadline of May 31 1999 for the relocation. However successive administrations deferred the move. These included the Clinton Bush and Obama administrations.
Eugene Kontorovich claimed the embassy move recognized Israeli sovereignty. This recognition extended to land captured in the Six-Day War in 1967.
President Trump signed an executive order on June 4 2018. This order postponed the embassy move. He was required to sign it. The Jerusalem Embassy Act requires a permanent residence for the U.S. Ambassador in Jerusalem. This condition was not yet fulfilled.
In October 2018 Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced a merger. The U.S. Embassy and U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem would combine. The United States would continue relations with the West Bank and Gaza. This would be through a new Palestinian Affairs Unit. It would operate from the Agron Site of the Jerusalem Embassy.
The Israeli Government praised the decision. Palestinian officials criticized the Trump Administration. They felt it sided with Israel’s claim to Jerusalem.
The U.S. Consulate General formally integrated into the U.S. Embassy on March 4 2019. The Consulate-General’s Agron Street premises became the Palestinian Affairs Unit. It would handle many of the Consulate-General’s former functions. This ended the U.S. practice of assigning separate diplomatic missions. These had been for Israelis and Palestinians.
Saeb Erekat called for an international boycott. He was the secretary-general of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s executive committee. Hanan Ashrawi also denounced the merger. She was a fellow Executive Committee member. She saw it as a political assault on Palestinian rights.
The United Nations also reacted. On December 18 2017 the U.S. vetoed a UN Security Council draft resolution. Then on December 21 2017 the UN General Assembly passed a resolution.
The embassy’s opening coincided with the 2018 Gaza border protests. More than 57 Palestinians were killed. Jean-Yves Le Drian said the decision contravened international law.
Palestine brought a case against the U.S. at the International Court of Justice. They alleged the embassy relocation breached the Vienna Convention.
Guatemala and Paraguay initially followed the U.S. lead. They moved their embassies to Jerusalem. However Paraguay later reversed its decision.
The United States Embassy is located in the former U.S. Consulate General. The space houses the ambassador and a staff. The ambassador divides time between Jerusalem and the Tel Aviv Embassy Branch Office.
The embassy straddles the 1949 to 1967 Armistice line. It is partially in West Jerusalem. It is also partially in no man’s land.
The U.S. is considering two options for the embassy facility. These are the Allenby site and the current Arnona site.
The former U.S. Consulate General on Agron Street is now the U.S. Embassy Palestinian Affairs Unit. Senior Foreign Service Officer Mike Hankey was the first Head of the Palestinian Affairs Unit.
In June 2022 the Palestinian Affairs Unit became the U.S. Office of Palestine Affairs. It reports directly to the State Department. George Noll has served as its head since August 2020.
The U.S. reiterated a promise to reopen the U.S. consulate in Jerusalem. This was after two years of delay. The Biden administration has not yet met this pledge.
As we conclude our visit remember the Embassy of the United States. It represents evolving diplomatic relations. It symbolizes a key chapter in the history of Jerusalem.