The new US Embassy in Jerusalem will open in May 2018 to coincide with the 70th anniversary of Israel’s establishment two US officials said Friday.
The officials said Congress was being notified of the impending move on Friday the unnamed officials in Donald Trump’s administration added.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson signed off on the security plan for the new embassy on Thursday according to the officials.
Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in December last year setting in motion the embassy’s transfer and contravening decades of policy by the subsequent US administrations.
The May opening marks a significant acceleration. US Vice President Mike Pence had said previously the embassy would open by the end of 2019 while Tillerson had said it could take years.
