Trump ponders over visit to Israel

Washington D.C. [USA], Mar. 06 (ANI): U.S. President Donald Trump said he might travel to Israel for the inauguration of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem, scheduled to happen in May.

"I may. I may. They have started, as you know, construction and I may. We're looking at coming. If I can, I will," Trump said on Monday as he received Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House.

According to the CNN, the Trump administration announced plans last month to develop a temporary consular facility in Jerusalem, as the new U.S. embassy is years away from its completion, although the administration had earlier rejected that proposal.

After opening the embassy in May, a temporary office space will be built at the consular facility by the end of 2019, as the U.S. works to identify a site and build a permanent embassy in Jerusalem.

The new embassy plans were made after Trump announced last December that he recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel over Tel Aviv, a decision Trump said, "is something that's very much appreciated in Israel".

However, the decision has stalled the US-led peace process, causing outrage in the Arab world with Palestinian leaders rejecting U.S.' involvement in brokering a resolution to the age-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Trump, though remains upbeat about the peace process, saying, "we have a very good chance" of achieving success, indicating that the Palestinians wanted to come back to the negotiating table "very badly". (ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI