Israel, US sign agreement for permanent American embassy site in Jerusalem

CAIRO – 1 July 2026: Israel and the United States signed an agreement on Wednesday to allocate land for the future permanent US Embassy compound in Jerusalem, deepening US recognition of the disputed city as Israel's capital despite longstanding international opposition.

The agreement was signed by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee during a ceremony in Jerusalem.

Sa'ar described the move as "another milestone" in the US-Israel “unshakeable alliance,” while Huckabee said it gives concrete expression to President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's "ancient, eternal, and undivided capital."

US Amb. to Israel Mike Huckabee presents Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar with the symbolic one-dollar payment for the lease of land designated for the future permanent US Embassy in Jerusalem. Sa'ar

Trump formally recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital on December 6, 2017, reversing decades of US policy, and the American Embassy officially relocated from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem on May 14, 2018.

The move drew widespread international criticism from Palestinians, Arab and Muslim countries, the United Nations, and many US allies, who argued that it prejudged one of the core issues of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Much of the international community has long argued that the US recognition and embassy relocation undermine prospects for a negotiated two-state solution, which is widely regarded as the only viable path to a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians.