JERUSALEM, ISRAEL - The new U.S. Embassy opened today in Jerusalem to coincide with the 70th anniversary of when David Ben Gurion announced the establishment of the Jewish state and Israel took its place among the nations on May 14, 1948. The official plaque now hangs on a consular office building at an existing U.S. facility that handles passports and visas in Jerusalem's Arnona neighborhood.
President Trump's daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, U.S. Ambassador David Friedman and Trump's Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt attended the opening ceremony along with about 700 guests, including members of Congress and representatives of organizations with close ties to Israel, alongside senior Israeli officials.
Municipal workers erected signposts reading "U.S. Embassy" in Hebrew, Arabic, and English around the yellow stone building at 14 David Flusser St. "This is not a dream - it's reality," Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat tweeted last week in a post that included photos of him on a ladder holding one of the newly installed signs. "Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the Jewish people - and the world is beginning to recognize this fact. Thank you, POTUS," said Barkat.
The U.S. retrofit a small suite of offices in that facility to accommodate Friedman and one or two top aides such as his chief of staff. The rest of the embassy staff will remain in Tel Aviv until a new embassy building is finished in Jerusalem in seven to 10 years.
"Today is a historic moment when on the 70th anniversary of the re-establishment of Israel, the U.S. Embassy opens in Jerusalem," said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, President of Christians in Defense of Israel, and Founder and President of Covenant Journey. "The timing could not be more appropriate to open the embassy at the 70th anniversary of the founding of the modern state of Israel. We celebrate with the Jewish people for this long-awaited event," said Staver.
Liberty Counsel produced a 13-part original TV series aired on TBN called Why Israel Matters. This series can be viewed on the TBN website or here.
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JERUSALEM, ISRAEL - The new U.S. Embassy opened today in Jerusalem to coincide with the 70th anniversary of when David Ben Gurion announced the establishment of the Jewish state and Israel took its place among the nations on May 14, 1948. The official plaque now hangs on a consular office building at an existing U.S. facility that handles passports and visas in Jerusalem's Arnona neighborhood.
