“We are here in Jerusalem and we are here to stay,” Netanyahu declared at opening of US Embassy in Jerusalem, where he thanked the US president for his “courage.”
By: Adina Katz, World Israel News
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received a standing ovation for his moving address at the opening of the US Embassy in Jerusalem, thanking President Donald Trump for his courage and declaring that Jerusalem, the ancient Jewish capital, will always remain the capital of Israel.
“President Trump, you have made history,” Netanyahu declared. “Thank you, President Trump, for having the courage to keep your promises.”
The prime minister recalled, as a young boy, not being able to walk close to the eastern section of the city for fear of snipers from Jordan. Between 1948 and 1967, when Israel won the Six Day War and reunified Jerusalem, the city was under Jordanian rule and Jews were prohibited from visiting their holiest sites.
“Today,” Netanyahu continued, “the embassy of the most powerful nation on earth is right here…
‘A Great Day for Peace’
“We are here in Jerusalem and we are here to stay.”
The Israeli leader stressed his position, and that of the Trump administration, that recognizing Jerusalem as the Israeli capital is not an obstacle to peace; rather, it could help bring peace.
This is “a great day for Israel, it’s a great day for America, but I believe it’s also a great day for peace,” Netanyahu stated.
“You can only build peace on truth. A peace built on lies will only crash on the rocks of Middle Eastern realities. And the truth is that Jerusalem has been, and always will be, the capital of the Jewish people, the capital of the Jewish state,” he said.
Netanyahu saluted the IDF soldiers and all members of Israel’s security forces for defending the Jewish state.
‘Alliance Between America and Israel Stronger Than Ever’
He also thanked the Trump administration for “making the alliance between America and Israel stronger than ever,” and singled out Ambassador David Friedman for “bringing our countries and people closer together.”
“You are the first American ambassador to serve your country in Jerusalem. This is your distinct honor. Nobody can be first again,” he said.
Netanyahu concluded by quoting the Prophet Zecharia, in English in Hebrew, who 2,500 years ago called Jerusalem “the city of truth,” and then recited the “Shehecheyanu” prayer of thanksgiving for having reached this day.
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