Until 1948 the area that is now the state of Israel had been under British administration as part of the League of Nations/United Nations British Mandate for Palestine.

On May 14, 1948, the British government unilaterally terminated the mandate.

On the same day, the Jewish Agency, under future Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion, declared independence and named the country Israel.

The United States immediately recognized the nation and moved to establish diplomatic relations.

The embassy of the United States in Israel is located at 14 David Flusser Street in Jerusalem.