JERUSALEM (JTA) — The U.S. diplomatic mission in Israel urged Americans there to “keep a low profile” following last week’s announcement that the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem will open in May.
American diplomats in Israel were prohibited from official travel in the West Bank starting Wednesday, the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem announced. The Consulate General also is prohibiting employees and their family members from personal travel in the West Bank.
The mission issued a warning to American citizens to avoid anticipated demonstrations and anti-American protests over the embassy announcement last Friday by the State Department and to “exercise caution if unexpectedly in the vicinity of large gatherings or protests.”
A plethora of Palestinian groups have called for demonstrations to protest the embassy decision.
The embassy will relocate from Tel Aviv in May to coincide with Israel’s 70th anniversary instead of sometime in 2019 as previously announced. It will first be located in the consulate general in the Arnona neighborhood, with a new building to be built in the coming years.
