Israeli officials said Thursday they did not believe President Donald Trump would move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem – and he is expected to sign a waiver on a congressional mandate on the action next month, according to news reported.
A law mandating a move of the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem was passed in Congress in the mid-1990s, Haaretz reported, and Trump is expected to follow all U.S. presidents since and sign the waiver because of national security reasons.
The waiver, signed most recently by President Barack Obama, expires at the end of May.
The top Israeli officials told Haaretz that Trump was not expected to deviate from the policy, despite his campaign pledge to move the embassy.
President Trump is expected to visit Israel next month during events that would mark the 50th anniversary of the unification of Jerusalem in the Six-Day War, according to the report.
Some Republicans and Israelis are hoping Trump will use the visit to declare he would not sign the waiver.
Rep. Ron DeSantis, the Florida Republican, said in Washington on Thursday he believed Trump would move to bring the embassy to Jerusalem, Haaretz reported.
A U.S. delegation landed in Israel on Thursday to begin preparations for a Trump visit – and the working date for the event is May 22.
David Friedman, Trump's ambassador to Israel, is expected to arrive May 15, according to Haaretz.
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