US Embassy in Jerusalem to Open in Time for Israel’s 70th

The Fellowship  |  February 23, 2018

For those who stand for Israel, good news of the Jewish state’s relations with her greatest ally, the U.S., has come out today. The Times of Israel reports that American officials are saying that the move of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem will occur sooner than previously thought – with the new embassy opening this May, in time for Israel’s 70th anniversary:

The new US Embassy in Jerusalem will open in May 2018 to coincide with the 70th anniversary of Israel declaring independence, two Trump administration officials said Friday.

The officials said Congress was 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 ceremony was being planned for mid-May. Israel proclaimed independence on May 14, 1948. According to Channel 10 and Hadashot news, the ceremony could be held on May 14 to honor that date.

The May opening marks 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.