Visitors were given a sneak preview of the compound that will house the new U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem when the U.S. ambassador posted a video to Facebook on Friday showing the preparations for the opening ceremony.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman posted a video to the "U.S. Embassy Jerusalem" Facebook page of himself standing in front of scaffolding covered in blue and white drapes.
Behind him are signs reading "Trump is a Friend of Zion" and "Trump Make Israel Great" – a reference to U.S. President Donald Trump's election slogan "Make America Great Again."
At a press conference on Friday, Friedman said the relocation of the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is first and foremost in "the interests of the United States."
A small interim embassy is set to open inside an existing American consulate building in Jerusalem on May 14, the 70th anniversary of Israel's founding. A larger site will open at a later date, when the rest of the embassy relocates from Tel Aviv. The Jerusalem embassy is expected to be fully operational in three years' time.
"We are so excited," said Friedman, a Trump appointee who was a strong advocate of the embassy move.
"We have the official seal of the United States Embassy. We have the dedication plaque. They are covered right now, but on Monday they are going to be unveiled."
Praising Trump's December decisions to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and move the U.S. Embassy to the city, Friedman signed off in Hebrew and English with the words "This year in Jerusalem," a take on the oft-said adage (from the Passover Haggadah) "Next year in Jerusalem."
On Saturday, Trump tweeted, "Big week next week when the American Embassy in Israel will be moved to Jerusalem. Congratulations to all!"
While the American president will not be in attendance at the opening ceremony, he has recorded a congratulatory video message that will be played at the event.
Last week, it was announced that the White House would be sending a presidential delegation to the event that includes Friedman, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Trump's daughter Ivanka and her husband, senior adviser Jared Kushner, along with special envoy Jason Greenblatt. A separate congressional delegation will also be in attendance.
More than 1,000 people have been invited to the official opening ceremony.
The White House will also host an event in Washington to honor the relocation of the embassy.
Administration officials said official government maps would be updated to reflect the U.S.'s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
Work on the embassy compound, including the paving of a new access road and an emergency escape route, was nearing conclusion, as was the installation of perimeter lighting.
U.S. and Israeli flags have been hung from city street lights and the Bridge of Strings at the entrance to Jerusalem will be lit in the colors of the U.S. flag in honor of the relocation.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was set to host a special reception in honor of Jerusalem Day and the embassy relocation at the Foreign Ministry headquarters in the Israeli capital on Sunday. While the ambassadors of all the missions to Israel have been invited, only 30 are expected to attend.
Considering their vocal opposition to the embassy's transfer, the Europeans in particular are not expected to take part in the festivities.
The EU sought to condemn the embassy's transfer in an official statement, but was prevented from doing so when member-states Hungary, the Czech Republic and Romania blocked the move, according to a Channel 10 report.
The planned statement, reportedly initiated by France, would have been delivered by EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and reiterated the European Union's view that Jerusalem is the capital of both Israel and the Palestinians, that the status of Jerusalem should be resolved through direct negotiations and that the EU would not move its embassy to the city.
The decision to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem infuriated Palestinians, with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas calling it a "slap in the face" and saying Washington could no longer be regarded as an honest broker in any peace talks with Israel.
Germany has advised its citizens to stay away from Jerusalem's Old City this weekend, citing the possibility of violence surrounding the opening of the embassy.
In line with the United States, Guatemala and Honduras are also set to mark the official transfer of their respective embassies to Jerusalem on Wednesday.
Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat said, "The change in Jerusalem is permeating the world. If in 1967 we unified the capital, in recent years we are opening it up to the world in the diplomatic arena and in the cultural, tourism and economic fields. The transfer of the U.S. Embassy, and of the countries that will follow, is the culmination of this trend. Jerusalem is ready for the historic event."
