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US Embassy in Jerusalem to Open With Initial Staff of 50


In this photo released by the Jerusalem Municipality, Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat poses with a new road sign to the new U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem, Israel, May 7, 2018.
In this photo released by the Jerusalem Municipality, Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat poses with a new road sign to the new U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem, Israel, May 7, 2018.

The new U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem will open with an initial staff of at least 50.

That's according to senior Trump administration officials previewing the highly anticipated opening on May 14. The embassy is moving from Tel Aviv in line with President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Roughly 800 guests will attend. Officials say the U.S. delegation doesn't plan to meet any Palestinian officials during their visit.

Initial embassy staff will include Ambassador David Friedman's aides and U.S. consular officers already working at the site. The embassy is opening in part of a pre-existing American visa-and-passport facility with a fraction of the total U.S. personnel in Israel.

The officials weren't authorized to be identified by name and briefed reporters on condition of anonymity.

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