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Trump Declares Our Formal Recognition of Jerusalem as Capital of Israel
“Long overdue.” From the BBC:
President Donald Trump has announced that the US now recognises Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, overturning decades of official US policy.
Mr Trump described the move as “a long overdue step” to advance the Middle East peace process.
The president said the US would support a two-state solution, if approved by both the Israelis and the Palestinians.
There will be those who declare that this is the ruination of peace talks for the region but the question must be asked, “why this and not the Palestinian Charter, which includes the following:
Published in GeneralArticle 17: The partitioning of Palestine, which took place in 1947, and the establishment of Israel are illegal and null and void, regardless of the loss of time…
Article 18: The Balfour Declaration, the Palestine Mandate System, and all that has been based on them are considered null and void. The claims of historic and spiritual ties between Jews and Palestine are not in agreement with the facts of history or with the true basis of sound statehood. Judaism… is not a nationality (and) the Jews are not one people with an independent personality…
Article 19: Zionism is a colonialist movement in its inception, aggressive and expansionist in its goal, racist in its configurations, and fascist in its means and aims…
What a great President… #MAGA
Tonight on the walls of the old city in Jerusalem:
I am glad to see it, but I suspect we are not prepared to accept the possible consequences.
I agree. No longer should the purveyors of a 7th century religion dictate the terms of our special relationship with Israel.
Should be interesting to see what some of our Jewish NT Friends have to say. Is crow Kosher?
That’s incredible!
I’ve never heard of the Palestinian Charter and that was in it? How could peace ever be made with that? Is it a document they adhere to, and they expect to be given more land? That’s nuts.
Past Republican presidents probably avoided doing so less for pursuit of peace than for love of Saudi Arabia (while it promoted terrorist ideology worldwide). It’s the right move… much too long in coming.
I have so much respect for President Trump for this. Everyone seems to be against it all over the world. It is still the right thing to do regardless of the consequences. Maybe there is hope?!?!
Is the US Embassy moving post-haste?
Though rumors persist that they renounced or modified the Charter, that has never happened. It is the foundation document and declaration of the PLO and continues to be used as the basis of their goals for Israel.
Nuts indeed!
So far, so good.
Probably not. This embassy is likely to need secure communications and physical security capabilities that the current consulate in Jerusalem won’t have; that will might well mean a facility purpose built or heavily remodeled under very high – U.S. – security. That won’t be fast or cheap, and the faster the less cheap.
Well, sure, but one would wish the announcement to be made post-haste & whatever commitment would show seriousness.
WE don’t have to accept the consequences. The Israelis do. And from what I hear, they’ve been saying, “What took so long?”
Trump is the man! Great news.
I have never liked Trump, but I am happy to give him credit when credit is due. This move has made me happier about his presidency than I ever expected to be. Kudos, President Trump!!!
My understanding is that we will not be immediately declaring our Consulate in Jerusalem as a temporary Embassy until a new one can be constructed. Trump said during the announcement that the plans were to have architects draw up plans for a brand new Embassy to be built in the city. We will see how things go, as with Trump you never know.
Thank you, President Trump. This is one of those rare occasions when I have nothing but praise for our President.
Well done.
Tillerson is reported to be saying that the process starts “immediately”.
source
Where’d you find this picture? I tried for about 10 seconds and couldn’t locate it b/c I’m feeling lazy…
Lazy, indeed! It’s all over facebook. (teasing you, btw)
Here it is in US media, Washington Examiner.
A couple more in the Israeli media. Jewish Press, my favorite source of unabashedly pro-Israel news.
@susan, I am glad the Israelis are glad, and I expect they have considered well any negative consequences. So if there is dancing in the streets of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, good.
Nevertheless, your response proves my point: There may well be negative consequences for the US of A but we have not, I suspect, given them much thought. To any political action there is a benefit, and there is a cost: The bigger the action, the greater each of those will be. While I am convinced the cost/benefit ration will be less than one, it will not be zero.
Do you really think that the opposition to this will just fold? Is it not reasonable to expect some backlash? What do you think? How will it impact current events in Saudi Arabia? What impact will it have on politics in Turkey? Syria? Might it cause a surge in ISIS recruitments? I can’t answer any of these, but they are legitimate questions to be considered. I only hope the PTB thought long and hard about these and similar questions before fulfilling a campaign promise.
The opposition in the U.S to moving the embassy has primarily been from failed peace processors and Obama’s creatures who promoted and defend the Iran deal. Israel is in the way of Iran assuming its rightful place as the nuclear armed regional hegemon, which will ensure peace in the region.
I hope so too, Chuckles. But let’s look at those risks more closely. Will Saudi Arabia do anything more than complain? They have a lot to lose by changing their relationship with us and their (apparently) quietly developing relationship with Israel. I don’t believe Syria will do more than speak up; they are in such a mess that they can’t afford to take us on, and they probably hate us anyway. Turkey will complain too, but I believe any action they take will hurt them more than us. ISIS recruitments–I just don’t know. All I’m saying is that there may be more gnashing of teeth than anything else. The Palestinians will never go for peace on reasonable terms. Never.
Sorry, but so bloody what? This administration finally shows the Tommies how to not ‘bradfordise’, the Frogs how not to kow-tow to their Qatari sheiks and sponsors of their deficient, delinquent, failed state run and islamised economy, and tells ze Krauts zat zis little bit of Persian carpet sales business is not worth the Schierlingsbecher they will have to drink with their social democratic appeasniks when this plays out. And these are just the supposed partners and allies. Just imagine how it irks the others. Fantastic. Lead. Move the debate. Symbolism and Iconography. We have to name the authoritarian and cultist enemies of western civilisation in order to win each and every battle in the constant defence of freedom. We also have to pin the flags and state the obvious: Defense of our civilisation starts at its crucible. This year, in Jerusalem!
Uh, yeah . . . like BST says . . .
Susan, apologies, there was no offense intended. I simply believe that moving the debate, leading the topic and showing allies and adversaries that the U.S. will drive this forward matters.
No offense taken!!! I just didn’t have the nerve to state what you stated so very passionately!! I loved it. Sorry that wasn’t clear. Thank you for sharing your views.
The Arab countries aren’t obsessed about Jerusalem as they were a generation back because they’re not obsessed about Israel the same way. It’s not enemy # 1 anymore. With all the worry about an Iran-Saudi Arabia war, this is not as big a deal as diplomacy makes it seem.
This also means, it’s not such a big deal that Trump made the change. But the symbol is powerful & may carry consequences somewhat difficult to anticipate now; & it’s still the American thing to do.