Huge poster ‘thanking Donald Trump for US embassy move’ appears in Jerusalem

Possibly premature message of thanks erected in middle class neighbourhood a few days before the new US President was sworn in

A child cycles past a giant banner bearing a message of congratulations ("Mazeltov") for incoming US President Donald Trump, covering a building under construction in central Jerusalem on January 20, 2017

A giant poster thanking US President Donald Trump for relocating the US Embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv has appeared in Jerusalem.

The sign on the side of a construction side is several storeys tall, and reads “Mazeltov on your decision to move your Embassy to Jerusalem.”

It appears to have been paid for by a development company and appeared in middle class Baka neighbourhood a few days before the new president was sworn in on Friday.

Mr Trump said several times during his election campaign that he would improve relations between the US and its Israeli allies, including moving the country’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The city is claimed by both Israel and the Palestinians as their capital, and as such has both angered and worried Palestinian representatives, who say such a move would derail the peace process and go against international law.

Several US presidential candidates have made the same promise, but none have followed through with the plan once reaching office.

However, the White House confirmed on Sunday that Mr Trump’s team is indeed in the “beginning stages” of the necessary discussions that would prelude such a symbolic decision.

“We are at the very beginning stages of even discussing this subject,” Press Secretary Sean Spicer said.

The congratulatory message may still be somewhat premature, however.

Israeli officials confirmed to Haaretz that they have recieved no solid information from the Trump administration that they intend to move the embassy.

Haaretz also reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet was in talks with the Israel Defence Force (IDF) and police to discuss possible violent scenarios that could occur in the wake of such a move.

One compromise floated by Israeli Foreign Ministry sources would see Mr Trump’s pick for Israel ambassador, the right-wing and pro-settlement David Friedman, “live and work” in Jerusalem, while the physical embassy building remains in Tel Aviv.