July 2 - Pakistan: The United States has finalized a deal to construct a lasting American embassy in occupied Jerusalem, representing yet another move towards increasing its diplomatic footprint in the contested city. The arrangement was officially unveiled at a gathering where high-ranking U.S. and Israeli representatives were present.
At the event, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee announced the land distribution deal for the upcoming embassy. During the ceremony, Huckabee stated that the United States acknowledges Jerusalem as the everlasting capital of the Jewish nation and intends to set up a long-term diplomatic facility there.
He mentioned that the new embassy will act as the primary hub for U.S. diplomatic activities in Israel, with the American flag being consistently displayed at the location. Israeli authorities expressed approval of the deal, calling it an indicator of the robust partnership shared by both nations.
As per the official statement, the long-term U.S. embassy located in the occupied area of Jerusalem will be established within the Allenby Complex in southern part of the occupied city. Nevertheless, this decision has faced disapproval from the Israeli civil liberties group Adalah, which claims that the initiative endorses what they refer to as an historical wrong.
Jerusalem continues to be among the most contested cities within the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. The Palestinians aim for East Jerusalem to serve as the capital of an upcoming Palestinian nation. In his initial presidential term, former U.S. leader Donald Trump acknowledged Jerusalem as Israel's capital in 2017 and directed the transfer of the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
