The US Embassy in Jerusalem will cost nearly 100 times Trump's $ 400,000 estimate



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The new US embbady in Jerusalem is expected to cost millions of dollars more than the $ 400,000 that President Donald Trump has announced to have planned for the project, offers for bids recently published for the new compound. The Department of Foreign Affairs awarded a $ 21.2 million contract to the Department of Foreign Affairs for the design and construction of "Compound Security Redevelopment" for Phase 2 of the US Embbady's work in the Arnona district of Jerusalem

Trump had repeatedly boasted of having reduced the cost of the relocation of the $ 1 billion embbady initially estimated, estimating the end of April that he had planned $ 400,000 for the move.

The United States has already spent $ 335,402 for the first phase. the move, which involved modifications to the existing consulate building, including the hanging of a stone plaque on its exterior, the removal of Am David Friedman and his core team (less than six people), as well as the increased security, according to The Washington Post.

The controversial embbady opened on May 14 – the day Israel celebrated 70 years of independence simultaneously marked by Palestinians as "The Nakba". ("The Catastrophe" in Arabic), mourning the thousands of people who fled or were forced to leave their homes in the war surrounding the Israeli establishment.

 Kobi Gideon / GPO

The location of the Embbady in Arnona was to be temporary while Washington was looking for a permanent location

"As the President l & 39; said, the cost of the first modifications made to allow the opening of the embbady on May 14 was approximately "$ 400,000", said a State Department official at the news site Al-Monitor based in Washington. "After the opening of May 14, we undertook the planning and construction of a new extension and security improvements at the temporary site. "

An badistant in the House of Representatives declared Al-Monitor that the price of $ 21.5 million for the second phase of construction on the site is" in fact a lot … considering that they apparently have plans to buy a new e installation. "

Trump's highly disputed decision on December 6 to move the United States The Tel Aviv embbady in Jerusalem reversed a decades-long policy recognizing the holy city as the capital of the United States. Israel.

The movement has led the Palestinians – who claim a rivalry over the eastern part of the Arab-majority city as the future capital of their desired state – to sever ties with the White House.

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