U.S. Embassy will stay in Jerusalem

The White House confirmed Tuesday that President Joe Biden intends to keep the U.S. Embassy to Israel in Jerusalem, where it was relocated during the Trump administration. The issue of where to locate the embassy has been a fixture of negotiations over Israeli and Palestinian territory and authority for decades.

A White House spokesperson confirmed the administration’s intentions.

“The U.S. position is that our embassy will remain in Jerusalem, which we recognize as Israel’s capital,” the spokesperson said. “The ultimate status of Jerusalem is a final status issue which will need to be resolved by the parties in the context of direct negotiations.”

In moving the embassy, the Trump administration followed through on provisions of a 1995 law known as the Jerusalem Embassy Act. Implementation had previously been suspended by presidents of both parties, which had kept the U.S. Embassy to Israel in Tel Aviv.

Asked whether the Biden administration would support a capital for the Palestinian people being located in East Jerusalem, Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated the need for negotiations.