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Jerusalem to name city square near US Embassy in Trump’s honor

Jerusalem will name a city square near the new U.S. Embassy in honor of President Trump, the city mayor’s office said Tuesday. 

Mayor Nir Barkat intends to name it the “United States Square in honor of President Donald Trump,” The Jerusalem Post reports, and will hold an event with American dignitaries to celebrate the occasion. 

“This is the way in which Jerusalem returns love to the president and residents of the United States who stand by the state of Israel,” Barkat reportedly said. “President Trump decided to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish people, stand on the side of historical truth and do the right thing.”    

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Barkat thanked Trump on Monday as he posted pictures of himself hanging the first road signs to the new U.S. Embassy, which is set to open in May on Israel’s 70th anniversary. 

Trump decided in December to officially move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, straining relations between Israel and Palestinians, who also claim the holy city as their capital. 

The move received near universal condemnation by member-states in the United Nations, who called it a rejection of decades of foreign policy.