Trump officially declared recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, vowing to relocate the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
“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. Therefore, I have determined that it is time to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel,” President Donald Trump stated Wednesday in his long-anticipated speech.
“Today, Jerusalem is the seat of the modern Israeli government. It is the home of the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, as well as the Israeli Supreme Court. It is the location of the official residences of the Prime Minister and the President. It is the headquarters of many government ministries.
‘Recognition of reality’
“Jerusalem is the capital the Jewish people established in ancient times,” Trump said. “Today Jerusalem is the seat of Israel’s government.”
“Today, we finally acknowledged the obvious, that Jerusalem is Israel’s capital. This is nothing more than a recognition of reality. It is also the right thing to do,” he stated.
“That is why, consistent with the Jerusalem Embassy Act, I am also directing the State Department to begin preparations to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. This will immediately begin the process of hiring architects, engineers, and planners do that a new embassy, when completed, will be a magnificent tribute to peace,” he added.
Boundaries subject to final status negotiations
The president also stressed his commitment to achieving an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement that would benefit both sides. The specific boundaries of Israeli sovereignty in the holy city are subject to final status negotiations, he said.
The time has come to rethink strategy with an open mind, Trump continued, noting the lack of progress in achieving peace over the last 20 years.
“We want an agreement that is a great deal for the Israelis and a great deal for the Palestinians,” he said. “The United States would support a two state solution if agreed to by both sides.”
This article was originally published on World Israel News.
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