President Trump said Monday the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem is opening “many, many years” ahead of schedule, but that peace remains a top priority.
“As I said in December, our greatest hope is for peace,” Mr. Trump said in a video address at the embassy’s opening ceremony. “The United States remains fully committed to facilitating a lasting peace agreement and we continue to support the status quo at Jerusalem’s holy sites, including at the Temple Mount.”
The move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is a controversial one since Palestinians also lay claim to the eastern part of the city and see the U.S. as declaring the whole ownership of the area to Israel. Trump administration officials said that Israel sees Jerusalem as the capital, so the U.S. Embassy should be located there.
• Sally Persons can be reached at spersons@washingtontimes.com.
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