The State Department has long refused to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on their government documents and they are still refusing to do so even after President Trump鈥檚 Jerusalem announcement on Wednesday.
The Associated Press that the State Department will continue its policy of not listing Jerusalem-born American citizens as being born in Israel on passports. However, the policy does recognize Palestine as the birthplace of those who were born in Jerusalem before the establishment of Israel in 1948.
鈥淎t this time, there are no changes to our current practices regarding place of birth on Consular Reports of Birth Abroad and U.S. Passports,鈥� the State Department told the AP.
Additionally, the department won鈥檛 redraw their maps, but they will use some sort of marker to demarcate the city as Israel鈥檚 capital.
鈥淭he specific boundaries of Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem are subject to final status negotiations,鈥� the State Department told the AP. 鈥淭he United States is not taking a position on boundaries or borders.鈥�
The State Department also has yet to be specify if other documents will recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
The AP report does highlight how . The department is already stating that it could take at least 鈥渢hree to four years鈥� to make the move, even though the mayor of Jerusalem has stated it could theoretically only take a couple of minutes by turning the U.S. consulate into an embassy.
Additionally, the State Department under Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has repeatedly pointed the finger at Israel as the culprit for Palestinian terrorism and has previously denied that Israel has any claim on the city.
There have been prior of tension between Trump and Tillerson, although Tillerson has denied such reports and Trump hasn鈥檛 publicly stated that Tillerson鈥檚 job is in danger.
