WASHINGTON: Stepping back from a campaign promise, President Donald Trump on Thursday decided not to move the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, at least for the next six months. The White House described Trump’s waiver as a move to improve chances for an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal, but the relocation also risked igniting tensions across the Middle East.
Although Trump’s move keeps the embassy in Tel Aviv for the foreseeable future, the White House said the president wasn’t abandoning his repeated pledge to move it. Press secretary Sean Spicer said Trump was merely delaying the move while the administration tries to advance a new peace process.
Of the embassy, Spicer said, “The question is not if that move happens, but only when.”
The decision is a blow to Israeli hard-liners and their supporters in the US, who had hoped Trump’s presidency would shift the US toward a fuller embrace of Israeli priorities. The Jewish state has long urged the US and others to build embassies in Jerusalem, to reflect Israel’s claim to the holy city as its capital.
But since taking office, Trump has heard repeatedly from foreign leaders and Mideast experts warning him that such a move could terminate his push for a Mideast peace deal even before it gets started. The longstanding US position is that Jerusalem’s fate must be worked out through Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. The Palestinians argue moving the embassy would prejudge one of the most sensitive issues in the conflict, undermining America’s status as an effective mediator.
Trump had been up against a Thursday deadline to either certify the US had opened an embassy in Jerusalem or see the State Department lose half its funding for overseas facilities. Congress passed the law in the 1990s. Under pressure from Arab leaders and others, Trump followed the lead of past presidents of both parties who have waived the law in six-month stretches.
Jerusalem’s status is one of the most emotionally charged matters separating the Israelis and Palestinians. Both sides stake claims. Israel captured east Jerusalem — claimed by Palestinians for the capital of a future independent state — from Jordan in 1967 and annexed it, in a move not internationally recognized.
Trump had been lobbied heavily by Mideast leaders, notably Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and King Abdullah II of Jordan, to sign the waiver to prevent further instability and unrest in the region. Abdullah in particular expressed deep concern that moving the embassy would spark unrest among his country’s large Palestinian population.
US officials say the process of moving the embassy would take at least six months and involve major adjustments in security, office and housing space and staffing at both the existing facility in Tel Aviv and the consulate general in Jerusalem. Building a new complex in Jerusalem would take even longer.
Trump rejects moving Israel embassy to Jerusalem — for now
Trump rejects moving Israel embassy to Jerusalem — for now
SRMG launches G.O.A.T, AI-powered sports platform for data-driven fans
- The launch comes at a time when Saudi Arabia is increasingly at the center of global sport
- The app complements live broadcasts by keeping fans connected before, during, and after the game
RIYADH: The Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG) on Tuesday announced the launch of G.O.A.T, a new sports app designed to deliver fast, credible, and curated coverage in one destination. Built for a mobile-first generation, G.O.A.T is designed for a sports landscape evolving at unprecedented speed.
The launch of G.O.A.T comes at a time when Saudi Arabia, and the region more broadly, are increasingly at the center of global sport. Saudi football in particular is undergoing rapid transformation, emerging as one of the fastest-growing and most closely followed leagues in the world.
As fan behavior evolves alongside this growth, audiences are no longer looking only for headlines, but for trusted context, real-time access, and platforms that reflect how sport is experienced today.
Created to meet these expectations, G.O.A.T is an audience-first, data-driven app built for the AI age. It brings together real-time updates, breaking news, video highlights, and match insights in a simple, always-on experience designed around fan behavior and matchday flow.
The app complements live broadcasts by keeping fans connected before, during, and after the game, from instant goal alerts to key stories, highlights, and the conversations shaping matchday momentum across screens and platforms.
The launch marks the first phase of G.O.A.T’s rollout, initially focusing on football and the Saudi Pro League, alongside coverage of the world’s most prominent competitions. In its early release, the app serves as a leading destination for up-to-the-minute Saudi football news, grounded in SRMG’s editorial standards and designed to cut through misinformation and noise that increasingly dominate sports coverage.
In its initial release, G.O.A.T curates content from SRMG’s most trusted brands, including Arriyadiah, Asharq Al Awsat, Asharq Sports, and Sport 24, giving fans access to reporting, analysis, and match coverage from the region’s most established newsrooms through one unified product experience.
As the platform evolves, G.O.A.T is expected to unlock new monetization opportunities aligned with fan behavior and premium engagement. These include intelligent sponsorship integrations, data-driven brand partnerships, and premium experiences built around key moments and competitions. Designed as a scalable product platform, G.O.A.T enables brands, leagues, and partners to connect with highly engaged sports audiences through context-rich formats that enhance rather than disrupt the fan experience.
The launch of G.O.A.T also marks another step in SRMG’s expansion across the sports media ecosystem, following the group’s acquisition of exclusive rights to broadcast the Saudi Pro League across the Middle East and North Africa through Thmanyah.
Alaa Shahine Salha, Content Development Managing Director at SRMG, said:
“G.O.A.T was built around a simple idea. Sports fans need speed, depth, and credibility in one place. This first phase establishes a strong editorial and community foundation. What comes next will expand how fans interact with content, match moments, and each other, powered by a smarter, data-led experience.”
Looking ahead, SRMG will continue to evolve G.O.A.T through interactive and community-driven features that deepen participation and bring fans closer to the action, while maintaining a clear commitment to credibility and responsible reporting.
G.O.A.T is now available to download on iOS and Android.
