Preparations for the construction of a new embassy quarter in Jerusalem have kicked off in Israel, with the relevant top officials being ordered to start the planning process, The Jerusalem Post reported citing Israeli Construction Minister Yoav Gallant.
The quarter was supposed to be called "Embassy Town," but Gallant said that he's thinking of naming it after US President Donald Trump.
The move comes as result of US President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December 2017 when the politician instructed the US State Department to launch the process of moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv, to Jerusalem.
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Trump's declaration has deeply shocked Arab countries and caused concerns among Washington's allies in the West, warning that such a move could bring more chaos to the conflict-torn region.
For decades, Israel has been in conflict with the Palestinians, who have been seeking diplomatic recognition for an independent state on the territories of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which are partially occupied by Israel, and the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli government refuses to recognize Palestine as an independent political and diplomatic entity, and continues to build settlements in the occupied areas, despite objections from the United Nations.
