Trump says U.S. decision on Jerusalem long overdue

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday his decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel is long overdue
Wednesday, 06 December 2017 20:16

U.S. decision on Israel, including the recognition of Jerusalem as its capital and the move of the US embassy from Tel Aviv, should have been done years ago, President Donald Trump said after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

"We have an announcement concerning Israel, Palestinians, and the Middle East. And I think it's long overdue," Trump said. "Many presidents have said they want to do something and they didn’t do it."

Trump is set to make an announcement on Israel later in the day. He will recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and direct the Department of State to begin a process of relocating the US embassy from Tel Aviv to a site in Jerusalem, according to administration officials.

The US president has not set a timeline for completing the move, because it unclear how long will it take to find a new location and address security concerns, according to the White House.