US and Israel agree on new embassy complex

TT

Published 17.00

 

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar (right) and US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee show the land agreement for the permanent US embassy in Jerusalem during a ceremony. Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg/AP/TT

The US and Israel have signed an agreement to build a permanent embassy complex in south Jerusalem.

The agreement was signed by US Ambassador Mike Huckabee and Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar on Wednesday.

The building will replace the current embassy, ​​which was moved from Tel Aviv after President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital in 2017.

The status of Jerusalem is one of the most contentious core issues in the Israel-Palestine conflict, with both Israeli and Palestinian representatives seeking to see it as their capital in a future two-state solution.

The agreement comes amid a period of heightened tensions between the United States and Israel over the ongoing Iran-Iraq war.