LOC11:16
08:16 GMT
WASHINGTON, Dec 6 (KUNA) -- In his anticipated speech in which he will recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israeli, US President Donald Trump will direct the State Department to begin the process of moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to a site in Jerusalem, Administration officials said late Tuesday.
In a background briefing to reporters, Trump Administration officials said the President's decision to officially acknowledge Jerusalem as the capital of Israel recognizes "both a historic reality of the Jewish faith since ancient times and a modern reality."
The move comes even after Arab and European allies warn that it could upend the peace process entirely and heighten regional tension.
In his speech set to be delivered Wednesday afternoon, Trump is expected to direct the State Department to begin a process of moving the US embassy and it's 1,000 personnel from its current location in Tel Aviv to a site in Jerusalem.
However, officials noted that the move will not be immediate and will take no less than three to four years to complete. In that time, Trump will need to sign a waiver every six months delaying the move of the embassy in order to avoid significant cuts to State Department's funding.
Officials maintain Trump remains committed to achieving "lasting peace agreement between the Israelis and Palestinians and is optimistic that peace can be achieved.
And he does not think it will be resolved by ignoring the simple truth that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel."
In addition, Trump is "prepared to support a two state solution to the dispute if agreed to by the two parties..And recognizes that the specific boundaries of Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem are subject to final status negotiations."
In regards to the holy sites in the ancient city, officials noted Trump "reaffirms US support of the status quo at the Temple Mount Haram al-Sharif".
Officials say no timetable has been specified and it is not yet clear whether the site will be built in East Jerusalem or West Jerusalem.
However, it is unlikely that the decision will be reversed, as one official put it "Once an embassy begins the process of [being built] that process go through to completion. Once it begins the course is set."
Separately, the Republican-led House lawmakers approved legislation Tuesday that would restrict financial aid that directly benefits the Palestinian Authority until it take credible steps to end what lawmakers have called a practice of "incentivized terrorism" against Americans and Israelis. (end) hy.mb