President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a phone conversation on Friday, during which both leaders agreed to arrange a meeting in the United States in the near future. Netanyahu placed the call and took the opportunity to praise Trump on marking America's 250th anniversary, noting that the U.S. safeguards global freedom and that "Israel greatly appreciates the tight bond between the nations."
The discussion between the two heads of state followed Jerusalem's decision this week to set aside land for building a new, permanent U.S. Embassy compound.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, Israeli foreign minister Gideon Sa'ar, and Jerusalem mayor Moshe Lion all attended the signing ceremony for the allocation.
Huckabee underscored the moment's importance, particularly as America marks 250 years of independence. "The Judeo-Christian values that inspired America's founding fathers come from Jerusalem and throughout the land of Israel," he said.
The ambassador stressed that the U.S. decision to designate Jerusalem as Israel's capital and transfer its Embassy there stemmed from fulfilling American legislation and honouring the Jewish people's historical ties to the city. Sa'ar characterised Trump's push to move the U.S.
Consulate to Jerusalem as an act of justice.
According to Sa'ar, U.S.-Israeli relations represent a bond that cannot be replicated or substituted for any other partnership. "This agreement is about far more than the allocation of land," he told those gathered at the ceremony.
The foreign minister added that the move represents "a recognition of history and a declaration of our shared future." The relocation of the U.S. mission from its current location to Jerusalem follows the diplomatic initiative Trump launched in December 2017.
