President Donald Trump on Wednesday finally recognized the city of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Trump called for calm and tolerance after the decision.
“I have determined that it is time to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel,” Trump said from the White House.
“It’s the right thing to do.”
The declaration calls into question seven decades of deliberate diplomatic ambiguity about the final status of a holy city vociferously claimed by both Israelis and Palestinians.
Trump also kicked off the process of moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, making good on a campaign promise dear to evangelical Christian and right-wing Jewish voters — as well as donors.
He said his decision marked the start of a “new approach” to solving the thorny conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
Trump’s predecessors — from Bill Clinton to George Bush — made similar promises on the campaign trail but quickly reneged upon taking office, and the burden of war and peace.
“Many presidents have said they want to do something and they didn’t do it,” Trump said in the hours leading up to his historic address.
“Whether it’s courage or they changed their mind, I can’t tell you,” he said. “I think it’s long overdue,” he added.
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