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White House Announces Delegation to Attend Embassy Opening in Jerusalem

U.S. flag flies over the US consulate building complex in Jerusalem / Getty Images
May 7, 2018

The White House announced on Monday the official delegation to attend the Jerusalem opening of the United States Embassy in Israel.

Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan will lead the delegation to Jerusalem for the May 14 events.

Joining Sullivan will be Ambassador David Friedman, Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, and Assistant to the President and Special Representative for International Negotiations Jason Greenblatt.

President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will not attend.

The facility in Jerusalem that will become the U.S. Embassy has operated as a consulate but will be upgraded to a full embassy upon the grand opening. The U.S. embassy in Israel as for years been located in Tel Aviv, with the current embassy building having opened in 1966. Despite the embassy being located in Tel Aviv, the location has been controversial since Israel has identified Jerusalem as its capital. Last December, Trump also recognized Jerusalem as the county's capital, announcing plans for the U.S. to move its embassy there.

Recently, signs have gone up in Jerusalem directing people to the facility that will officially be the U.S. embassy.

Sullivan served as the acting secretary of state for about one month after former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's departure and until Pompeo's confirmation at the end of April.