The United States is preparing to break ground on a permanent embassy in Jerusalem, establishing a long-term American diplomatic presence in the city recognized by the Trump administration as Israel’s capital.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee announced Sunday that construction of the permanent facility will begin soon. Speaking at a Sukkot gathering for foreign diplomats hosted by Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion, Huckabee described the project as a lasting U.S. commitment. “We will soon be breaking ground on our property to begin the construction of the U.S. embassy that will be our permanent home rather than being spread out all over the country,” he said. He acknowledged the project could take several years but said it would place a permanent American imprint in the city.

The United States currently operates its embassy from a former consular property in Jerusalem that was redesignated after President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in 2017 and moved the embassy from Tel Aviv in 2018. The permanent embassy will be located at the Allenby Compound in southern Jerusalem. Israel approved the site in March, and the two countries formally signed an agreement allocating the property on July 1.

Huckabee said a permanent facility would make the American presence more difficult for a future administration to reverse. “There is no way that in the future someone would ever come and try to move us out of Jerusalem, where we belong,” he said.

Israel regards Jerusalem as its capital, while many other governments maintain that the city’s final status should be resolved through negotiations. Britain continues to operate its embassy in Tel Aviv and does not recognize Israeli sovereignty over East Jerusalem; its ambassador attended Sunday’s event. Relations between Britain and Israel have faced recent strain after Israel ordered the closure of the British Consulate in East Jerusalem following a British ban on imports from West Bank settlements.

Mayor Lion used the gathering, held in what the city describes as the world’s largest sukkah, to encourage more countries to move embassies to Jerusalem. Nine countries currently maintain embassies there, and Colombia is expected to become the tenth in the coming weeks under an agreement reached in July. Thirty-two of the 46 invited ambassadors attended.

Once completed, the permanent U.S. embassy will replace the current multi-location arrangement with a purpose-built facility in Jerusalem.