President-elect Donald Trump said Thursday he will nominate bankruptcy lawyer David Friedman as US ambassador to Israel — and pledged that the diplomat would work in the “eternal capital” of Jerusalem instead of Tel Aviv.

The president elects praised Friedman and said the lawyer would help the two countries cooperate on military and intelligence issues.

“As the United States’ Ambassador to Israel, David Friedman will maintain the special relationship between our two countries,” Trump said in a statement.

“His strong relationships in Israel will form the foundation of his diplomatic mission and be a tremendous asset to our country as we strengthen the ties with our allies and strive for peace in the Middle East.”

Friedman also reiterated Trump’s campaign pledge to move the US Embassy from the recognized capital of Tel Aviv.

“I intend to work tirelessly to strengthen the unbreakable bond between our two countries and advance the cause of peace within the region, and look forward to doing this from the U.S. embassy in Israel’s eternal capital, Jerusalem,” he said.

The United States and other nations do not regard Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

The move is likely to complicate relations with Palestinians, who regard the city as a future capital of a separate state.