Vice President Mike Pence has announced the new U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem will open by the end of 2019. He announced this while speaking during his visit to Israel.

Vice President Mike Pence: “President Trump has directed our State Department, working with Ambassador Friedman, to complete the transition of moving our embassy here to Jerusalem by the end of next year.”

Palestinian leaders have boycotted Pence’s visit, and Palestinian residents have launched a general strike across the Israeli-occupied West Bank. This is Hebron resident Jihad Naseer-Aldeen.

Jihad Naseer-Aldeen: “Today, there is a general strike in all of our organizations and shops. Even today 99 percent of transportation is part of the strike. The schools are part of the strike, as well, in a protest against Pence’s visit to the region.”