Different strokes for different folks – that is what the Trump administration in the US is getting into in Jerusalem. The US government is seriously working towards opening its embassy there. To this end, street signs have been put up at the US embassy which is due to open in the divided city next Monday.
While Israel hails the move as historic Palestinians are angry about it as they watch municipal workers erecting signposts reading “US Embassy” in Hebrew, Arabic and English around the site, which is currently a US consular building, in the city’s Arnona neighbourhood.
President Trump, whom pundits find hard to classify, broke with the tradition of US diplomacy and international consensus. Last December, he announced the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the transfer of the embassy which used to be in Tel Aviv.
The embassy is due to be inaugurated in style next Monday, to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the state of Israel. The small building will initially occupy part of the consular workspace pending the construction of a befitting embassy.
Palestinians are unhappy about the development because they have been looking forward to make their part of the city the capital of their future sovereign state. The status of Jerusalem has remained one of the painful aspects of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Largely on account of the latest American snub, Palestinian leaders have refused to meet with Trump’s peace negotiators.
