Trump Says He Rejected Proposal to Build $1 Billion Jerusalem Embassy

President Donald Trump comments on his decision to reject a proposal to build a new U.S. embassy to Israel in Jerusalem for $1 billion. He speaks during a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. (Source: Bloomberg)</s>Says U.S. will spend less than half a million dollars on move

President Donald Trump said he rejected a proposal to build a new U.S. embassy to Israel in Jerusalem for $1 billion, and instead the U.S. will spend less than half a million dollars to open the facility next month.

“The papers were put before me to sign an application for more than $1 billion to build an embassy,” Trump said Friday at a news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House. “I had my name half-signed and I noticed the figure and I never got to the word ‘Trump.”’

The president said he called the ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, and asked about the expenditure. Friedman, Trump said, told him “I can build it for $150,000” by renovating part of an existing U.S. property in Jerusalem, and “instead of 10 years from now, we can open it up in three months.”

Trump said he authorized spending $300,000 to $400,000. “It’s going to be beautiful and it could be somewhat temporary,” he said.

“But that’s the way government works,” he said. “They were going to spend a billion dollars and we’re going to spend much less than half a million dollars.”

Trump announced late last year that the U.S. would move its Israel embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, recognizing the city as Israel’s capital. The announcement infuriated the Palestinian Authority, which responded by breaking off U.S.-brokered talks on a potential new peace deal with Israel.

Trump said he may travel to Jerusalem to attend the opening of the new embassy.</s>'I may go' to Jerusalem embassy opening, Trump says

US President Donald Trump told reporters on Friday that he might travel to Israel for the opening of a new US embassy there, located in Jerusalem, The Jerusalem Post reported.

“I may go,” the president said. “Very proud of it.”

Administration officials have previously said it was unlikely that Trump would lead the delegation, and that Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, senior adviser Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, his daughter, would travel in his stead.

Trump was speaking at a press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Asked about the embassy opening, he praised the location in Arnona, in West Jerusalem, as an ideal spot.</s>President Donald Trump said Friday that he is considering taking a trip to Israel for the opening of America's embassy in Jerusalem.

'I may go. It's getting ready to open,' he said during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House.

The rebooted U.S. diplomatic mission will move on May 14 from its current home in Tel Aviv, making a political statement about America's commitment to recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital city.

And the shift may be just the first in a series of diplomatic relocations, resulting in a new diplomatic zone that one Israeli minister is considering calling 'Trump Town.'

Trump said in a geopolitically earth-shaking December announcement that the embassy would soon relocate to Jerusalem, sparking clashes between Jews and Palestinians that left two protesters dead near the Gaza border fence.

More recently seven were left dead last month after Palestinian protesters battled with Israeli soldiers in response to Trump's plans.

Israeli news outlets including Haaretz and the Jerusalem Post have reported in the past 24 hours that Trump wouldn't attend the May unveiling, and that he would be represented by his daughter Ivanka, her husband Jared Kushner and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.

Several members of both houses of Congress are also expected to make the trip.

Trump also told a story on Friday about budgeting for the new embassy project, claiming he pared a $1 billion State Department request down to a maximum of $400,000 by deciding to repurpose an existing building and real estate already owned by the U.S.

'The papers were put before me to sign an application for more than $1 billion to build an embassy. I said, "What are you talking about, $1 billion?"' he recalled. 'You know, most embassies are, like, a single story.'

'I had my name half signed, then I noticed the figure, and I never got to the word "Trump",' the president said.

He credited U.S. Ambassador David Friedman for divising a plan to 'take a corner of the building' and 'fix it up, make it beautiful [and] open our embassy.'

'Instead of in ten years from now, we can open it up in three months.'

The embassy site will be the American consular offices in the Arnona neighborhood of Jerusalem.

Trump may have started a wave of diplomatic relocations, turning part of Jerusalem into an 'embassy quarter.'

The Czech Republic, Romania and Honduras have already told the Israeli government that they would like to follow suit.

And Israel's construction minister said Friday that he is forming a task force to find appropriate sites for many more.

'There is an apparent pattern of embassies moving to Jerusalem, and we have to start getting ready now,' Yoav Gallant told the Jerusalem Post.

'We might have to build dozens of embassies, and we would need new land ready for that purpose.'

Gallant said he originally called the concept 'Embassy Town,' but might rename it 'Trump Town' instead.

Transportation Minister Israel Katz said days after Trump's December announcement that he would name a new train station at the Western Wall after Trump as well.</s>Washington: US president Donald Trump on Saturday said that he may travel to Israel for the inauguration of the new American embassy in Jerusalem.

"I may go (to Jerusalem)... very proud of it. Jerusalem has been a subject that's been promised for many years, as you know, the embassy in Jerusalem. It's been promised for many, many years by presidents. They all made campaign promises, and they never had the courage to carry it out. I carried it out," Trump told reporters at a joint White House news conference with the visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

He said, "It's getting ready to open, and I do want to tell that story though, because there are a couple of people that got to see it, but others, where literally, they were going to spend a billion dollars, and we're spending a tiny, tiny fraction of that, in the hundreds of thousands of dollars instead. And it will be very nice. Maybe it'll be nicer than a billion-dollar building."

Trump said he reduced the construction of the new embassy in Jerusalem from $1 billion to a "fraction of the cost". He also gave an insight into the internal White House deliberations on the new US embassy in Jerusalem.

"Somebody said, 'Could I tell this story?' And they came to me with a proposal for a $1 billion embassy in Jerusalem, and the papers (Vice-President) Mike Pence can tell you – the papers were put before me to sign an application for more than $1 billion to build an embassy," Trump said.

"I said, 'What are you talking about, $1 billion?' You know, most embassies are like a single story. And they said, 'Yes, sir. It's $1 billion'. And I had my name half-signed, then I noticed the figure, and I just didn't – I never got to the word 'Trump'. I had 'Donald' signed, but I never got to the word 'Trump'."

Trump said, thereafter, he told his ambassador to Israel, "I said, 'What's this $1 billion?' He said, "I can build it for $150,000."

I said, "What? He said, 'I can build it for $150,000, the embassy. We have a building. We have the site. We already own the site. We own the building. I can take a corner of the building, and for $150,000, we can fix it up, make it beautiful, open our embassy. Instead of in 10 years from now, we can open it up in three months.' And, that's what we did."

Trump said he then told the ambassador that they should not go from $1 billion to $150,000.

"Let's go to $3-400,000. And that's what we did. It's going to be beautiful, and it'll be somewhat temporary, but it could be for many years, because by the time they build it the other way, it's going to be many, many years. They were looking for sites. We already have a site, and we have a great site. The site's better than anything you could imagine," he said.

"But that's the way government works. They were going to spend $1 billion, and we're going to spend much less than half a million. Could have done it for much less than that, but I said, 'Let's make it really nice'. So that's what it is," Trump said.</s>WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump said on Friday (Apr 27) he may travel to Israel next month to open the new US embassy in Jerusalem after ordering the move in the face of widespread Palestinian anger.

The Trump administration's announcement in February that it would shift the American embassy from Tel Aviv deepened anger across the Arab world, particularly among Palestinians who see East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.

Trump had already broken with decades of US policy in December to announce Washington's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, drawing near-global condemnation and sparking days of unrest in the Palestinian territories.

Speaking in the White House, Trump said he had no regrets about the decision as he described nixing a US$1 billion, 10-year plan to construct a brand new embassy in favour of a US$300,000 to US$400,000 makeover of part of an existing US consulate.

"I may go. I'm very proud of it," Trump told reporters.

"It is going to be beautiful. And it will be somewhat temporary, but it could be for many years," he said at a joint press conference with German leader Angela Merkel.

While Israel regards Jerusalem as its "undisputed and undivided" capital, Palestinians say its status should only form part of a final peace agreement and the embassy move will wreck a two-state solution to the decades-old Middle East conflict.

Palestinians also particularly object to the decision to open the embassy to coincide with the 70th anniversary of Israel's declaration of independence in 1948 - a date that they call the Naqba, or "day of catastrophe."

Until now, the US embassy has been located in Tel Aviv with a separate consulate general located in Jerusalem that represents US interests in the Palestinian territories.

While previous US presidents had run for election promising to move the embassy to Jerusalem, none ever pursued the relocation once in office.

While Trump's critics have warned that the embassy move will undermine Washington's ability to act as a mediator between the Israelis and Palestinians in negotiating any final peace agreement, Trump has brushed such talk aside.

"The embassy in Jerusalem has been promised for many, many years by presidents," Trump said in Friday's press conference.

"They all made campaign promises and they never had the courage to carry it out. I carried it out."

'NEVER GOT TO TRUMP'

While the United States will eventually move into a purpose-built embassy, its diplomats will initially operate out of the consulate in Jerusalem which is currently being upgraded.

Trump said he had almost signed off on a proposal to build a new US$1 billion embassy but baulked when he considered the cost.

"The papers were put before me to sign an application for more than US$1 billion to build an embassy," said Trump.

"I had my name half signed, then I noticed the figure and I didn't. I never got to the word 'Trump'. I had 'Donald' signed but I never got to the word 'Trump'."

The president said he then called the US ambassador in Israel, David Friedman, who said the cost of updating the consulate would only be US$150,000.

"He said I can build it for $150,000 - the embassy. We have a building, we have the site. We already own the site, we own the building.

"I can take a corner of the building and for $150,000, we can fix it up, make it beautiful, open our embassy. Instead of in 10 years from now we can open it up in three months.

"And that's what we did. But I said, 'David, let's not go from $1 billion to $150,000. Let's go to $300,000, $400,000.' That's what we did. We will take a piece of the building. It is going to be beautiful. And it will be somewhat temporary but it could be for many years.

"That's the way government works. They were going to spend $1 billion and we're going to spend much less than $500,000."

While the embassy move has infuriated the Palestinians, it delighted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who has said Trump will be forever regarded as a hero in the Jewish state's history books.</s>WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump said he "may go" to the opening of the US Embassy in Jerusalem.

CBN's Ben Kennedy asked President Trump during a joint press conference with Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel Friday if he and members of his family planned to fly out for the historic opening.

"I may go. I'm very proud of it," said Trump.

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnunchin will reportedly lead a 250-strong VIP delegation from the United States, though President Trump did not confirm that to Kennedy in the White House East Room.

Last year, the president recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital, launching plans to move the US Embassy there.

"Jerusalem has been promised for many, many years by presidents," said Trump. "They all made campaign promises and never had the courage to carry it out. I carried it out."

President Trump says he was first presented with a proposal for a $1 billion embassy.

"I had my name half signed and I noticed the figure and I never got the word Trump, I had Donald signed but I never got the word Trump," said Trump.

But after talking with US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, Trump says he discovered it could happen for less than half a million dollars.

"We have a building; we have the site; we already own the site; we own the building," said Trump. "I can take a corner of the building and for $150,000 we can fix it up, make it beautiful and open our embassy and instead of 10 years from now, we can open in three months."

Trump added that the end cost for the embassy would be closer to $300,000 to $400,000.

A ribbon-cutting is being planned for May 14 to mark Israel's re-establishment as a country 70 years ago.</s>President Donald Trump said Friday he may travel to Israel next month to open the new US embassy in Jerusalem after ordering the move in the face of widespread Palestinian anger.

The Trump administration's announcement in February that it would shift the American embassy from Tel Aviv deepened anger across the Arab world, particularly among Palestinians who see East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.

Trump had already broken with decades of US policy in December to announce Washington's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, drawing near-global condemnation and sparking days of unrest in the Palestinian territories.

Speaking in the White House, Trump said he had no regrets about the decision as he described nixing a $1 billion, 10-year plan to construct a brand new embassy in favor of a $300,000 to $400,000 makeover of part of an existing US consulate.

"I may go. I'm very proud of it," Trump told reporters.

"It is going to be beautiful. And it will be somewhat temporary, but it could be for many years," he said at a joint press conference with German leader Angela Merkel.

While Israel regards Jerusalem as its "undisputed and undivided" capital, Palestinians say its status should only form part of a final peace agreement and the embassy move will wreck a two-state solution to the decades-old Middle East conflict.

Palestinians also particularly object to the decision to open the embassy to coincide with the 70th anniversary of Israel's declaration of independence in 1948 -- a date that they call the Naqba, or "day of catastrophe."

Until now, the US embassy has been located in Tel Aviv with a separate consulate general located in Jerusalem that represents US interests in the Palestinian territories.

While previous US presidents had run for election promising to move the embassy to Jerusalem, none ever pursued the relocation once in office.

While Trump's critics have warned that the embassy move will undermine Washington's ability to act as a mediator between the Israelis and Palestinians in negotiating any final peace agreement, Trump has brushed such talk aside.

"The embassy in Jerusalem has been promised for many, many years by presidents," Trump said in Friday's press conference.

"They all made campaign promises and they never had the courage to carry it out. I carried it out."

- 'Never got to Trump' -

While the United States will eventually move into a purpose-built embassy, its diplomats will initially operate out of the consulate in Jerusalem which is currently being upgraded.

Trump said he had almost signed off on a proposal to build a new $1 billion embassy but baulked when he considered the cost.

"The papers were put before me to sign an application for more than $1 billion to build an embassy," said Trump.

"I had my name half signed, then I noticed the figure and I didn't. I never got to the word 'Trump'. I had 'Donald' signed but I never got to the word 'Trump'."

The president said he then called the US ambassador in Israel, David Friedman, who said the cost of updating the consulate would only be $150,000.

"He said I can build it for $150,000 -- the embassy. We have a building, we have the site. We already own the site, we own the building.

"I can take a corner of the building and for $150,000, we can fix it up, make it beautiful, open our embassy. Instead of in 10 years from now we can open it up in three months.

"And that's what we did. But I said, 'David, let's not go from $1 billion to $150,000. Let's go to $300,000, $400,000.' That's what we did. We will take a piece of the building. It is going to be beautiful. And it will be somewhat temporary but it could be for many years.

"That's the way government works. They were going to spend $1 billion and we're going to spend much less than $500,000."

While the embassy move has infuriated the Palestinians, it delighted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who has said Trump will be forever regarded as a hero in the Jewish state's history books.</s>GAZA CITY - Three Palestinians were shot dead Friday as thousands demonstrated along the border between Gaza and Israel for a fifth consecutive week of rallies dubbed the Great March of Return.

More than 300 other people were hospitalised for gunshot wounds and tear gas inhalation, Gaza’s health ministry said. Forty-four Palestinians have now been killed by Israeli fire since major protests began on March 30, with hundreds more wounded. No Israelis have been hurt. Marchers are demanding the right to return to their homes seized by Israel in 1948. Israel says that allowing the refugees in would mean the end of the Jewish state, and accuses Gaza’s Islamist rulers Hamas of using the protests as a pretext for violence.

The protest movement is officially independent but has the backing of Hamas, which has fought three wars with Israel since 2008. On Friday protesters again gathered at five sites near the border fence, though numbers were down on previous weeks.

Dozens of young men burned tyres and threw stones a few hundreds metres from the border, with Israeli soldiers occasionally firing tear gas and live ammunition. Two men, who were not identified by the Palestinian health ministry, were shot dead east of Gaza City, while a third, 29-year-old Abdul Salam al-Bakr, was killed along the border in southern Gaza. Three journalists were among those injured, the Gaza Centre for Media Freedom said. The Israeli army said in a statement around 10,000 Palestinians had taken part in “riots.”

“Attempts have been made to harm security infrastructure, roll burning tires, hurl rocks and fly kites with flaming objects attached to them.” In response, it said, “troops have used riot dispersal means and have fired in accordance with the rules of engagement.”

The decision has infuriated Palestinians, who see the annexed eastern half of the holy city as the capital of their future state. Amnesty International on Friday called for an arms embargo of Israel over the use of live fire.

The UN rights chief on Friday urged Israeli forces to stop using excessive force against Palestinian protesters and called for troops who have committed abuses “to be held accountable.” “Every week, we witness instances of use of lethal force against unarmed demonstrators,” the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, said in a statement.

“Warnings by the United Nations and others have seemingly gone unheeded, as the approach of the security forces from week to week does not seem to have changed,” he added.

Meanwhile, Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis called Friday for the resignation of Prime Minister Viorica Dancila amid a row sparked by the possible move of the country’s embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. “Mrs Dancila is not up to the job of prime minister of Romania and as a result the government is becoming a liability for Romania. That is why I am publicly calling for Mrs Dancila’s resignation,” Iohannis said in a short statement.

Iohannis pointed to a secret memorandum adopted by the government last week with the aim of moving the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. He is opposed to the move and says he was not informed beforehand.

President Donald Trump said Friday he is considering traveling to Israel next month to open the new US embassy, which he controversially ordered moved to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv. “I may go. I’m very proud of it,” he said at a White House press conference alongside German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

, as he described nixing a $1 billion, 10-year plan for a new structure in favor of a $300,000 to $400,000 makeover of part of an existing US installation.

“It is going to be beautiful. And it will be somewhat temporary, but it could be for many years,” he said.

Trump’s embassy shift to Jerusalem sparked deep anger across the Arab world, particularly among Palestinians, who see East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.</s>US President, Donald Trump has said he may travel to Israel next month to open the new US embassy in Jerusalem.

The move has caused widespread anger from Palestinian after Trump gave order in that direction few months ago.

The Trump administration announced in February that it would shift the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The announcement deepened anger across the Arab world, particularly among Palestinians who see East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.

Trump had in December announced Washington’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Speaking in the White House, Trump said he had no regrets about the decision as he described nixing a $1 billion, 10-year plan to construct a brand new embassy in favour of a $300,000 to $400,000 makeover of part of an existing US consulate.

“I may go. I’m very proud of it,” Trump told reporters.

“It is going to be beautiful. And it will be somewhat temporary, but it could be for many years,” he said at a joint press conference with German leader Angela Merkel.
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis asks Prime Minister Viorica Dăncilă to resign. Iohannis says Dăncilă did not consult him before endorsing a plan to move Romania's embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.