Local residents recently made the trip to Israel to see the newly opened U.S Embassy in Jerusalem, and say they were impressed with the level of cooperation and understanding within the multicultural society.

Last month, local supporter Taylor Polstra left with a group of Pembina Valley residents to visit the controversial site for themselves. However, Polstra is no stranger to Israel after spending nearly three years from 2007-2010 working in Jerusalem as a reporter where she interviewed and met many political leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Among the group was local resident David Janzen. He says the mood on the ground was very supportive of the U.S and Canada. Janzen says he was also impressed with the country's technological advancements in agriculture and irrigation in the arid deserts.

Jim and Lena Suderman also took part in the trip and say they were surprised by the diverse multiculturalism present in Israel.

"You have all these world religions together... they're just working together side-by-side," Jim says, adding they saw business owners of different faiths, Orthodox and secular Jews, Muslims, and Christians, collaborating and working together.

"You see them walking down the street, and there isn't that conflict you'd expect to see," he says.

Polstra (right) spent nearly three years working in Jerusalem as a reporter and interviewed many political leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

While the U.S move to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital caused controversy in the global community earlier this spring, local MP Candice Bergen has welcomed the news calling Israel, "a small but vibrant democracy in a region where there is very little freedom."

In total, 128 countries voted against the U.S-led initiative including Israel's neighbours: Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Eight countries stood with the U.S, 35 abstained from the vote including Canada.

"It's so important to support Israel and their sovereign ability to say where their capital is located," Bergen says.