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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Trump: America Recognizes Jerusalem as Israel's Capital |
| 2017-12-06 |
| President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that America formally recognizes Jerusalem as Israel's capital city, changing decades of U.S. policy in a brief afternoon speech and casting the move as a bid to preserve, not derail, aspirations for regional peace. Appearing in the White House's Diplomatic Reception Room against an elaborate backdrop of Christmas decorations, He also said the United States embassy in Israel would, over time, be moved there from Tel Aviv. Israel is the only country where the United States has an embassy in a city that the host nation does not consider its capital. 'I have determined that it is time to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel,' Trump said. 'While previous presidents have made this a major campaign promise, they failed to deliver. Today I am delivering.' 'When I came into office I promised to look at the world's challenges with open eyes and very fresh thinking,' he said, leaning heavily on a mid-1990s federal law that demanded the embassy's relocation. 'We have declined to acknowledge any Israeli capital – at all,' Trump added. 'But today we finally acknowledge the obvious, that Jerusalem is Israel's capital. This is nothing more or less than a recognition of reality.' 'It is also the right thing to do. It is something that has to be done.' 'This decision is not intended in any way to reflect a departure from our strong commitment to facilitate a lasting peace agreement,' the president insisted. 'We want an agreement that is a great deal for the Israelis and a great deal for the Palestinians.' We are not taking a position of any final status issues, including the specific boundaries of the Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem or the resolution of contested borders,' he continued. 'Those questions are up to the parties involved. The United States remains deeply committed to helping facilitate a peace agreement that is acceptable to both sides. I intend to do everything in my power to help forge such an agreement.' Trump said the United States will continue to support a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian standoff, 'if agreed to by both sides.' 'In the meantime, I call on all parties to maintain the status quo at Jerusalem's holy sites,' he said. 'Jerusalem is today, and must remain, a place where Jews pray at the Western wall, where Christians walk the Stations of the Cross and where Muslims pray at Al-Aqsa Mosque,' Trump added. America's friends and foes unleashed fierce criticism before Trump made official what the White House previewed for reporters Tuesday night. But Trump stuck to his guns, calling his decision an act of political courage. |
| Posted by:Frank G |
| #4 70 years after Israel becomes a state a Christian nation recognizes Jerusalem as Israel's capital. 2000 years ago Jerusalem lost capital status 70 years after the crucifixion of Christ. |
| Posted by: Cheretle Angeans6218 2017-12-06 20:43 |
| #3 no one has wanted to run the risk of ticking-off the Muslims. they could get all violenty then? Unlike their current peaceful status... |
| Posted by: Frank G 2017-12-06 20:33 |
| #2 It's been talked about for nearly as long as Israel has been a State. Naming Jerusalem as the site of the U.S. embassy is an act of political courage. In the past no one has wanted to run the risk of ticking-off the Muslims. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2017-12-06 17:09 |
| #1 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem_Embassy_Act |
| Posted by: gorb 2017-12-06 16:55 |