Like his predecessors, President Barack Obama is delaying moving the US Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv.
A 1995 US law recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital and ordered that the embassy be relocated there.
The law states that "Jerusalem should be recognized as the capital of the State of Israel and the United States Embassy in Israel should be established in Jerusalem no later than May 31, 1999."
But the law also permits the president to delay the move for six-month periods, based on national security grounds.
Former US presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush invoked the clause during their presidencies.
Obama notified US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton of his decision on Thursday. He first delayed moving the embassy in June.
In contrast to Obama's stance on the embassy move, members of the US House of Representatives presented Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat during his November visit to the US with initiatives to recognize Jerusalem as the "undivided capital of Israel" and calling to move the US embassy there.
Sen. Joe Lieberman (Independent-Connecticut) informed Barkat that six senators had sponsored a bill that would remove the president's right to a waiver and finally implement the Jerusalem Embassy Act.