Tuesday May 20, 2025
NEWSLETTER
www.israelhayom.com
  • Home
  • News
    • Gaza War
    • US Election Coverage
    • Middle East
    • Cyber & Internet
    • Business & Finance
  • Opinions
  • Jewish World
    • Archaeology
    • Antisemitism
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Culture
  • Magazine
    • Feature
    • Analysis
    • Explainer
  • In Memoriam
www.israelhayom.com
  • Home
  • News
    • Gaza War
    • US Election Coverage
    • Middle East
    • Cyber & Internet
    • Business & Finance
  • Opinions
  • Jewish World
    • Archaeology
    • Antisemitism
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Culture
  • Magazine
    • Feature
    • Analysis
    • Explainer
  • In Memoriam
www.israelhayom.com
Home News Israel

Red tape holds up plans for new US Embassy in Jerusalem

Israeli authorities are at loggerheads about the transfer of the property on which the Tel Aviv branch office sits back to the state, and Palestinian families are claiming ownership of the proposed site in the capital.

by  Ariel Kahana , i24NEWS and ILH Staff
Published on  07-11-2022 11:49
Last modified: 07-11-2022 11:49
8 Democratic candidates say they wouldn't move US Embassy if electedOren Ben Hakoon

A sign in Jerusalem points the way to the US Embassy in Israel | File photo: Oren Ben Hakoon

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

US plans to construct a permanent embassy in Jerusalem have been put on hold due to red tape, Israel Hayom has learned.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

The Trump administration relocated the US Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv in 2018 but kept the Tel Aviv premises as a "branch office."

The former US Consulate building in Jerusalem has been rededicated as a temporary embassy, but it is too small to serve that function. It is slated to undergo a renovation, and the US is planning to build a permanent embassy building elsewhere in Jerusalem, with plans to open it in approximately 10 years.

However, the Israel Lands Authority and the Finance Ministry are deadlocked over the fate of a plot that has been allocated for the embassy building.

In 1988, the US State Department and the Israel Lands Authority agreed that should the US ever relocate its embassy to Jerusalem, Israel would swap land with the existing embassy, taking control over the property on Yarkon St. in Tel Aviv in exchange for a plot of land in Jerusalem known as the Allenby Plot.

The ILA agreed to the State Department's request that US be allowed to take possession of the Allenby Plot before vacating the Tel Aviv property, but conditioned its agreement on the Finance Ministry compensating it for revenue lost during the transition period.

The Finance Ministry has refused and says that the ILA's budget must cover revenue lost during the transition period, but has agreed to look into the possibility of finding government funding to cover the ILA's losses.

Until the matter can be resolved, the ILA has refused to transfer ownership over the Allenby Plot.

However, the question of payment is only part of the problem. Several Palestinian families in the US and east Jerusalem have presented rental contracts and other documents proving they owned the land chosen for the new US embassy in Jerusalem before the 1948 War of Independence, Haaretz reported Monday night.

The families are calling on the US and Israel to cancel their plans to build the diplomatic complex.

Together with the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, the families Habib, Qleibo, El Khalidi, Razzaq and El-Khalili have presented rental contracts that existed between their ancestors and the British Mandate government. The papers show that Britain rented the Allenby Plot from Palestinian landowners, who allowed them to build a military base there.

In 1950, the Allenby Plot, along with all Palestinian property in west Jerusalem, was transferred to Israeli authorities under the Absentee Property Law, in which Israel took control of property abandoned by Palestinian refugees.

i24NEWS contributed to this report.

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

Related Posts

Palestinian charged with murdering Israeli partner during childbirth, setting body on firePolice Spokesperson's Unit

Palestinian charged with murdering Israeli partner during childbirth, setting body on fire

by Hanan Greenwood

Newborn was found still attached to the Israeli mother's burned body by the umbilical cord. After an intensive investigation, the...

Founder of Kfar Aza dies after losing 5 family members on Oct. 7Liron Moldovan/Facebook

Founder of Kfar Aza dies after losing 5 family members on Oct. 7

by Merav Sever

Tamar Kutz, who was among the founders of Kibbutz Kfar Aza and whose son Aviv, his wife Livnat, and their...

An emotional reunion: Sagui Dekel Chen visits Edan AlexanderHostages and Missing Families Forum

An emotional reunion: Sagui Dekel Chen visits Edan Alexander

by ILH Staff

Sagui Dekel Chen, who was released from Hamas captivity in a previous deal, visited fellow former hostage Edan Alexander at...

Menu

Analysis 

Archaeology

Blogpost

Business & Finance

Culture

Exclusive

Explainer

Environment

 

Features

Health

In Brief

Jewish World

Judea and Samaria

Lifestyle

Cyber & Internet

Sports

 

Diplomacy 

Iran & The Gulf

Gaza Strip

Politics

Shopping

Terms of use

Privacy Policy

Submissions

Contact Us

About Us

The first issue of Israel Hayom appeared on July 30, 2007. Israel Hayom was founded on the belief that the Israeli public deserves better, more balanced and more accurate journalism. Journalism that speaks, not shouts. Journalism of a different kind. And free of charge.

All rights reserved to Israel Hayom

Hosted by sPD.co.il

  • Home
  • News
    • Gaza War
    • US Election Coverage
    • Middle East
    • Cyber & Internet
    • Business & Finance
    • Sports
  • Opinions
  • Jewish World
    • Archaeology
    • Antisemitism
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Culture
  • Magazine
    • Feature
    • Analysis
    • Explainer
    • Environment & Wildlife
    • Health & Wellness
  • In Memoriam
  • Subscribe to Newsletter
  • Submit your opinion
  • Terms and conditions

All rights reserved to Israel Hayom

Hosted by sPD.co.il

Newsletter

[contact-form-7 id=”508379″ html_id=”isrh_form_Newsletter_en” title=”newsletter_subscribe”]

  • Home
  • News
    • Gaza War
    • US Election Coverage
    • Middle East
    • Cyber & Internet
    • Business & Finance
    • Sports
  • Opinions
  • Jewish World
    • Archaeology
    • Antisemitism
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Culture
  • Magazine
    • Feature
    • Analysis
    • Explainer
    • Environment & Wildlife
    • Health & Wellness
  • In Memoriam
  • Subscribe to Newsletter
  • Submit your opinion
  • Terms and conditions

All rights reserved to Israel Hayom

Hosted by sPD.co.il