Barkat hangs sign near US Embassy
Barkat hangs sign near US EmbassyJerusalem Municipality

The Mayor of Jerusalem signed an order permitting the new US embassy in Jerusalem to expand its facilities, allowing the US mission in Israel to transfer more of its operations from Tel Aviv to the Israeli capital city.

On Wednesday, Mayor Nir Barkat gave approval to plans submitted by the US embassy for a massive expansion of the former US consulate building.

In May, the US mission in Israel officially transferred its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, in keeping with President Donald Trump’s December 6th declaration.

The embassy was transferred to an American consulate building in the Arnona neighborhood of the Israeli capital, though most of the embassy’s staff remained at the much larger Tel Aviv complex, which was downgraded to the status of consulate facility.

Now, the US embassy is planning to expand, with the aim of bringing more staff members and embassy operations to the Arnona complex.

The building plans approved Wednesday include new office totaling some 8080 square feet, with half of the new space to be underground.

The plans also include alterations to the entrances to the facility, which will be necessary to service the larger number of employees housed at the site.