U.S. Special Envoy to Israel lives in a luxury rental property that is Trump's legacy

There is no plaque at the gate of Jerusalem (AP) — In Jerusalem In a new home of the Associated Press, the Star-Spangled Banner is not visible and there is no official list of notable foreign real estate.

Officials said the official residence of the American envoy was rented and temporary. US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Ambassador Tom Nides moved to a sophisticated refurbished villa in the lush German colony of West Jerusalem sometime last spring. A local realtor estimates its value at about $ 23 million, and its owner and embassy have confirmed that it is rented as the official residence of a US envoy.

Emmek ReFim Street is the latest stop for the American Ambassador's home, with more than three years of migration from the seaside cliffs north of Tel Aviv to the tense Jerusalem. This trip reflects the split heritage of the Trump administration and the reluctance of President Joe Biden, who will visit the area next month, to shake relations with Israel on this issue.

Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in 2017, praised it from many Israelis, and infuriated Palestinians for decades in the United States. Overturned the policy.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem during the 1967 Middle East War and annexed it in an internationally unrecognized move. Palestinians want East Jerusalem to be the capital of their future state. Due to long-term conflicts, most countries have embassies in Tel Aviv.

Trump relocated the US Embassy from Tel Aviv, along with the renowned residence of the US Ambassador. Under various presidents, the envoy was previously housed on a vast five-bedroom seaside site built on an acre of land. This was given to the United States by Israel shortly after its independence in 1948.

Previous residences were social hubs of relationships between two close allies. Thousands of special guests were known for Independence Day on July 4th, watching the sunset and fireworks over the Mediterranean Sea.

Trump's move has put an end to everything. According to Israeli official records, the United States has sold the property for more than $ 67 million. The State Department refused to publish important details of the sale, but Israeli business newspaper Gloves identified the buyer as one of Trump's biggest contributors. Recently, it changed from the outside of the wall. Two Israeli flags were waved from the sea breeze flagpole. A spokesman for the Adelson family declined to comment.

The decision to sell the home seems to have been aimed at preventing future presidents from canceling the relocation of the embassy. This is what Biden has long denied.

However, it also forced US diplomats stationed in the area, most of whom continued to work in Tel Aviv, to embark on a difficult search for new bargains.

When Nides arrived last December, the plight of the "homeless ambassador" was a diplomatic story. In the crowded Jerusalem, there weren't many options for a complex large enough to function as the official residence of the US ambassador.

In most countries, the official residence is not only the home of the ambassador, but also the place of official ceremonies and social gatherings. A cramped apartment simply doesn't work.

Nides initially moved to Waldorf Astoria in Jerusalem. This is a good address, but not a good place to live for entertainment. Sometime this spring, he moved to the property of German Colony, one of the most popular districts in Jerusalem.

According to the embassy, ​​the United States has leased it and has informed Israel that the property will be the official residence of an American envoy. Other terms of the agreement have not been announced, but there are no plans to move the ambassador to another location. Officials and owners from both countries refused to comment on the value of the property or monthly rent.

If your goal is to make your home less noticeable, that's it. On June 8th, Nides tweeted a photo from his "new neighborhood coffee shop in the German colony". His dwelling is surrounded by tall white fences and is dotted with security cameras. According to the local shopkeeper, security guards are common. When the gate opens, a nice looking loose glimpse into the parking lot and courtyard.

Owner Blue Marble Ltd.'s legal counsel, Arielle Cohen, disagrees with local reports that the company has spent 50 million shekels (about $ 14.5 million) on historic restorations. Do not chant. Her father, Avi Ruimi, grew up in a German colony, specializing in historic restorations and founded a company that owns several other addresses on the street.

Blue Marble purchased this property in 2004. Construction lasted for six years and was completed in 2020 as it became clear that the US ambassador needed a new home.

"We knew it was possible," Cohen said in an interview. She refused to comment on the signing process, but called the deal a "great milestone." She said the dwelling itself is about 570 square meters (about 6,000 square feet) and the second building is about twice as large.

According to the gallery on the company's website, one building contains two apartments and a commercial space. The second is a "beautiful private villa". The Blue Marble website portfolio shows a sophisticated refurbished interior with a modern kitchen, fixtures and high ceilings.

According to local media, the property was built in 1930 and was built by a wealthy Palestinian family. West Jerusalem was home to many Palestinian upscale districts known for their stone villas before the 1948 war surrounding the founding of Israel. In this war, most Palestinians on that side of the city fled or were expelled.

During the British mandate prior to 1948, the mansion housed unmarried British police officers and has been used as a fire station, school, and florist for many years.

It is unclear if Biden will visit this mansion during his short stay in Israel next month.

His discussions with Israeli and Palestinian leaders may focus on another consequence of the relocation of the Trump embassy: the closure of the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem, which served Palestinians. ..

Palestinians have called on the Biden administration to fulfill its promise to reopen the consulate. This strengthens claims for parts of the city and helps restore the collapsed US-Palestinian relationship during the Trump era.

Israel is categorically opposed to the reopening of the consulate for the same reason. This is another real estate dispute in an area that appears to be increasing year by year.