Trump Recognizes Jerusalem As Israel’s Capital; Middle East Prepares For Violence
- Trump Recognizes Jerusalem As Israel’s Capital; Middle East Prepares For Violence
by Tyler Durden, http://www.zerohedge.com/
As expected, President Trump on Wednesday recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and announced plans to relocate the U.S. embassy there, a decision that is certain to inflame tensions in the region and throw a wrench in potential peace negotiations, paradoxically uniting the fractured middle east world against Israel and the U.S.
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“I have determined that it is time to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel,” Trump said shortly after 1pm in the White House. Trump said the announcement “marks the beginning of a new approach to conflict between Israel and Palestinians.”
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As discussed earlier, Trump’s move reverses decades of American policy in the Middle East and alienates regional allies, even as the president has made brokering an elusive Middle East peace deal a key goal.
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“This is a long overdue step to advance the peace process and work towards a lasting agreement”, Mr Trump said in his remarks. He added that he was directing the US State Department to develop a plan to move its Israel embassy from its current location in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump framed the decision as a way to put his own stamp on one of history’s oldest conflicts.
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“The record is in: after more than two decades of waivers, we are no closer to a lasting peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians,” the president said. “It would be folly to assume that repeating the exact same formula would now produce a different or better result.”
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