President Trump on Thursday signed a waiver deferring the relocation of the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv. The waiver delays action required by a law Congress passed in 1995 that made it U.S. policy to move the diplomatic headquarters. Trump repeatedly promised to move the embassy to Jerusalem during his presidential campaign.
The location of the U.S. embassy is a symbolic struggle, as Jerusalem is claimed by both Jews and Arabs as a religious capital, while Tel Aviv is secular. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was "disappointed" by Trump's decision to delay the move, while Palestine said the deferral "gives peace a chance."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
The JFK files: the truth at last?In The Spotlight More than 64,000 previously classified documents relating the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy have been released by the Trump administration
-
Supreme Court upholds 'ghost gun' restrictionsSpeed Read Ghost guns can be regulated like other firearms
-
Trump sets 25% tariffs on auto importsSpeed Read The White House says the move will increase domestic manufacturing. But the steep import taxes could also harm the US auto industry.
-
Trump allies urge White House to admit chat blunderSpeed Read Even pro-Trump figures are criticizing The White House's handling of the Signal scandal
-
Waltz takes blame for texts amid calls for Hegseth ousterSpeed Read Democrats are calling for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and national security adviser Michael Waltz to step down
-
Judge: Nazis treated better than Trump deporteesspeed read U.S. District Judge James Boasberg reaffirmed his order barring President Donald Trump from deporting alleged Venezuelan gang members
-
US officials share war plans with journalist in group chatSpeed Read Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg was accidentally added to a Signal conversation about striking Yemen
-
Canada's Mark Carney calls snap electionspeed read Voters will go to the polls on April 28 to pick a new government
