DONALD Trump has declared Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. In a speech at the White House, Mr Trump officially recognised the holy city as the capital of Israel and declared his intention to move the US embassy there from Tel Aviv.
“Today we finally acknowledge the obvious: that Jerusalem is Israel’s capital,” he said.
“This is nothing more or less than a recognition of reality. It is also the right thing to do.”
Mr Trump said moving the embassy was “long overdue”, given it had been US policy since 1995. Previous presidents had “failed to deliver”.
“I am delivering. I’ve judged this course of action to be in the best interests of the United States of America and the pursuit of peace between Israel and the Palestinians,” Mr Trump said.
“After more than two decades of waivers, we are no closer to a lasting peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.
“It would be folly to assume that repeating the exact same formula would now produce a different or better result.”
The President said Israel had the right to determine its own capital “like every other sovereign nation”.
“Acknowledging this as a fact is a necessary condition for achieving peace,” he said.
Mr Trump said Jerusalem was the “seat of the modern Israeli government” and was home to the parliament, supreme court and prime minister.
The President has directed the State Department to begin the process of building a new US embassy in Jerusalem that would be “a magnificent tribute to peace”. The process of moving the embassy out of Tel Aviv is expected to take years.
While the change is likely to be seen in the Muslim world as the US siding with the Israelis, Mr Trump said it was not intended to reflect on other ongoing disagreements with 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,” Mr Trump said.
He reiterated his administration’s commitment to facilitating a “lasting peace agreement” and indicated support for a two-state solution, if both Israel and Palestine agreed.
Talk of the change received a swift rebuke from Palestinian factions, who called for “three days of rage” throughout the Muslim world, according to The Jerusalem Post. One of those factions, the militant group Hamas, warned it “opens the gates of hell”.
There are fears the protests will turn violent, but Mr Trump called for calm.
“There will of course be disagreement and dissent regarding this announcement but we are confident that ultimately as we work through these disagreements, we will arrive at a peace and a place far greater in understanding and co-operation,” he said.
“This sacred city should call forth the best in humanity, lifting our sights to what is possible, not pulling us back and down to the old fights that have become so totally predictable.
“Today, we call for calm, for moderation and for the voices of tolerance to prevail over the purveyors of hate.
“Our children should inherit our love, not our conflicts.”
Mr Trump called for “young and moderate voices all across the Middle East” to resist the “bloodshed, ignorance and terror” that had held peace back.
The President explained that, when he came to office, he promised to approach the world’s challenges “with open eyes and very fresh thinking”.
“We cannot solve our problems by making the same failed assumptions, repeating the same failed strategies of the past,” he said.
“Old challenges demand new approaches.”
There are fears the protests will turn violent, but Mr Trump called for calm.
“There will of course be disagreement and dissent regarding this announcement but we are confident that ultimately as we work through these disagreements, we will arrive at a peace and a place far greater in understanding and co-operation,” he said.
“This sacred city should call forth the best in humanity, lifting our sights to what is possible, not pulling us back and down to the old fights that have become so totally predictable.
“Today, we call for calm, for moderation and for the voices of tolerance to prevail over the purveyors of hate.
“Our children should inherit our love, not our conflicts.”
Mr Trump called for “young and moderate voices all across the Middle East” to resist the “bloodshed, ignorance and terror” that had held peace back.
The President explained that, when he came to office, he promised to approach the world’s challenges “with open eyes and very fresh thinking”.
“We cannot solve our problems by making the same failed assumptions, repeating the same failed strategies of the past,” he said.
“Old challenges demand new approaches.”
