The US Embassy has rented a housing compound in Jerusalem that municipal officials confirmed to Israel Hayom could be the next home of the US ambassador to Israel. With that, the municipality still hasn't issued a final announcement on the matter.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
The US Embassy declined to confirm or deny that the compound has been designated as the ambassador's residence.
Five months ago, as a reminder, Israel Hayom reported that US Ambassador to Israel Thomas Nides and his staff had begun searching for a residential complex in the capital. The matter is a sensitive one as the ambassador's official residence currently is located on Agron Street, in a compound that in the past served as the American consulate for the Palestinians and which was shuttered during the Trump administration by former US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman.
Recognizing the structure, located on the corner of Yoshiya Wedgewood Street and Emek Refaim Street, as the official residence could cause diplomatic issues over the building on Agron Street, which the US wants to reopen as a consulate for the Palestinians.
The new complex, meanwhile, consists of two recently built three-story buildings with a large yard separating them. In recent weeks, a series of security upgrades have been installed, including a high fence, gates, and a guard post.
"We have no updates on the ongoing search for a larger official ambassador's residence," a spokesperson for the US Embassy said.
According to diplomatic protocol, the US State Department must ask the Foreign Ministry to recognize the new residence. Israel is expected to approve such a request without any impediments.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
