Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner to attend Jerusalem embassy move

Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner are expected to attend the US embassy opening in Jerusalem in May, following President Donald Trump's decision to overturn decades-long policy by recognizing the holy city as Israel's capital, the left-wing Israeli news outlet Haaretz reported Sunday. 

Last month, it was revealed that the US President would not attend the opening of the Embassy in Jerusalem on May 14, though he may make a visit in July to symbolically give his blessing to the new mission.

Trump's daughter and son-in-law, both among his top advisers, are the likely candidates to represent the administration in the hotly contested move, along with U.S. Secretary of Treasury Steve Mnuchin, Israeli television Channel 10 reported. 

Last week, it was said the couple had not yet finalized their plans to attend though they had been pinned down by Washington and Israeli officials as the accepted representatives, the Times of Israel reported. 

Trump's son-in-law and senior aide Jared Kushner was originally put in charge of helping to advance the Israel-Palestinian peace process, but has been met with adversity in recent months as he has faced scrutiny for his activity during Trump's inaugural transition period as well as questions over his security clearance. 

The Palestinians have been seeking out alternative peace partners to the US since Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, a move deemed as biased and jeopardizing Washington’s long standing role as impartial mediator in the conflict. Abbas has been making inroads with the EU and Russia among others in an effort to secure their support.

The status of Jerusalem is among the most contentious in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel claims all of Jerusalem as its united capital, while the Palestinians see the eastern sector as the capital of their future state.

No country currently has its embassy in Jerusalem, instead keeping them in the Israeli commercial capital Tel Aviv.

Trump's decision has been met with intense criticism from the international community, with the United Nations voting on a resolution against his declaration shortly after the announcement. 

Only Guatemala has said it would follow the US lead in shifting it's embassy to Jerusalem, a decision warmly welcomed by Israel and condemned by the Palestinians.

Romania's foreign ministry initially announced last week that it would begin the process of following in American footsteps, but President Klaus Iohannis seemed to contradict the notion, saying that his state's position on the matter had not changed. 

The last month has seen a deluge of protests dubbed the "March of the Great Return" in Gaza and the West Bank, leading to the death of nearly 40 Palestinians in clashes with the Israel Defense Forces. The protests are expected to culminate with the Jerusalem embassy move coinciding with Israel's May 14, 1948 Independence Day.