OCCUPIED JERUSALEM — The US embassy in Israel will move to Jerusalem by the end of 2019, US Vice President Mike Pence said on Monday.

“In the weeks ahead, our administration will advance its plan to open the US Embassy in Jerusalem — and that United States Embassy will open before the end of next year,” Pence said in a speech to the Israeli parliament in occupied Jerusalem.

“Jerusalem is Israel’s capital — and, as such, President Trump has directed the State Department to begin initial preparations to move our embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem,” said Pence.

Israeli Arab lawmakers were ejected from parliament as they stood to protest the speech from the rostrum by Pence.

Members of the Joint List coalition of Arab parties had pledged to boycott the Pence speech in protest at the Dec. 6 decision by US President Donald Trump to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

A number of parliamentarians began shouting and holding up protest signs at the beginning of Pence’s speech, before ushers pushed them out.

Pence kicked off his visit to Israel with a Monday morning meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in which he said it was an honor to be in “Israel’s capital, Jerusalem.”

Netanyahu told Pence it was the first time a visiting dignitary could utter those three words along with him, and he thanked Pence for President Donald Trump’s “historic” recognition of Jerusalem. — Agencies