U.S. to Recognize Jerusalem as Israel's Capital.

[Ariel]

Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital and move US embassy.

Officials confirm that US president will break with decades of diplomacy in a move many warn will trigger unrest in the region'

Donald Trump will declare formal recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on Wednesday, the White House has said, breaking with years of precedent and potentially leading to unpredictable consequences for the Middle East.

The region is braced for the prospect of unrest in anticipation of the declaration, due at 1pm in Washington, and US embassies around the world have been advised by the state department to bolster their security.

US government employees have been told to avoid Jerusalem’s Old City and the West Bank until further notice.

In his remarks to be delivered in a diplomatic reception room in the White House, Trump will base his decision on ancient history and current political realities that the Israeli legislature and many government offices are in Jerusalem. He will also order the state department to start the process of planning and building a new US embassy in Jerusalem, but White House officials said that process would take at least three years.

Until the new embassy is completed and opened, the official US mission will remain in Tel Aviv and the president will continue to sign a six-month waiver of congressional legislation that demands the embassy is moved, but only to spare the state department from budget penalties embedded in the 1995 act.

Officials made clear that Trump would not follow the practice of his predecessors, who used the waiver to prevent any action on the embassy move to avoid derailing any progress towards an Israeli-Palestinian settlement.

“For a long time the United States’ position held that ambiguity, or lack of acknowledgement would somehow advance the prospects of peace,” a senior administration official said.

“It seems clear now that the physical location of the embassy is not material to a peace deal … So having tried this for 22 years, an acknowledgement of reality seems like an important change.”

Trump’s declaration will mark the latest unilateral break from US allies on a major issue, after decisions to walk out of the Paris Climate accord, to abandon multilateral trade negotiations with partners in Europe and Asia, and to threaten to abrogate an international nuclear deal with Iran.

In making his decision, following through on an election campaign promise, Trump shrugged off appeals from leaders from France, the EU, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and other key allies. They urged him not to prejudge an issue that would be at the heart of any comprehensive deal, which is something his administration has made a foreign policy priority, entrusted to the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

On Wednesday Pope Francis said he was “profoundly concerned” about recent developments and called for the status quo of Jerusalem to be respected. The British foreign secretary Boris Johnson also expressed concern and called on the US to present its Middle East peace plan quickly.

On the eve of his announcement, Trump made a series of calls to leaders in the region, including Jordan’s King Abdullah, Egypt’s President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, King Salman of Saudi Arabia, the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas.

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[Ariel]

Of course there are many angry Muslims, but what is new. Muslims often are angry.

[Ariel]

Why It’s Precisely the Right Time for Trump to Recognize Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel

Ahead of his expected recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump has faced a virtual torrent of criticism.

He should pay the critics no heed. The move is not only morally the right thing to do, it’s also a political masterstroke. Let me explain.

Generally, the critics can be divided into two categories.

The first group — among them the Ramallah-headquartered Palestinian Authority and Gaza Strip-ruling terror organization Hamas (along with various Arab and Muslim states, and even the US State Department) — has made the case against recognition as being vital to prevent the inevitable violence and outrage that will follow as a result.

But Arab blackmail doesn’t feel like a compelling argument against implementing American law and doing what’s right — certainly for the United States. In addition, neither of these entities has much of a track record in furthering the cause of peace.

The second group, who are generally supportive of the move, have questioned the timing — ahead of the expected unveiling of a White House peace initiative in the coming weeks.

The timing, however, appears to be very well considered. It’s highly appropriate to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel at the outset of a peace push for the following reason:

When Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt, whom Trump has tasked with the Mideast peace brief, embarked on their “listening tour” soon after the president took office, they were advised by at least one regional actor that, in the words of Albert Einstein, one can’t keep doing the same thing and expect different results. In many ways, it seems that this word of advice — frankly, a matter of common sense — has served as a guiding principle in the nascent peace efforts.

From what we have seen so far, the peacemaking team has sought to implement new approaches on at least four fronts.

Firstly, there’s the “regional approach” concept, which was mentioned by both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump in their first White House meeting. The practical manifestation of this alignment between Israel and the Sunni Arab states has yet to be clearly presented, but remains a constant subject of peace discussions.

Second is the commitment to push the parties to the table without imposing a predetermined outcome. “We’re trying to find a solution that comes from the region, not to impose,” Kushner told attendees at the Saban Forum over the weekend.

Third, there’s the focus on “bottom up” actions, seeking to build cooperation between the Palestinian and Israel people themselves by appealing to interests. This “economic peace” concept was behind the US-facilitated landmark water deal inked in July by Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, there is the administration’s willingness to apply pressure on the Palestinian Authority. Whereas some past presidents have handled PA leaders with kid gloves, Trump has taken a far more forthright approach, bringing up prickly issues like PA payments to terrorists without thinking twice.

This is vital because, as has been very well documented, the greatest obstacle to progress in the region has been Palestinian intransigence. The Israelis have shown — perhaps mistakenly — an incredible capacity to offer painful concessions for the cause of peace, including land transfers, prisoner releases and dangerous security arrangements, often at great political risk. Time and again, these gestures were rebuffed, and the Palestinians were excused as being the weaker, aggrieved, more delicate party.

The Palestinians first introduced the Trump administration to their duplicitous strategies when PA President Mahmoud Abbas told Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in June that they were ending the terror payments, only to recommit themselves to the sponsorship shortly afterwards.

But now we have a White House that favors results over process, and understands that presenting the Palestinians with real, permanent and painful costs for their rejectionism may provide the best opportunity for progress. Both carrots and sticks are necessary, and the White House appears to be preparing one hell of a stick.

There’s the ever present threat to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem; the threat to shut down the PA office in DC; the specter of White House support for the Taylor Force Act, which will see significant cuts to US financial aid to the Palestinians; Trump’s unwillingness to specify the two-state solution as the only solution to the conflict; and even the threat to withhold funds from international bodies that give the PA and the PLO full membership, which was circulated in the administration’s early days. In addition, the Palestinians will not be quick to forget that it was a matter of months before they were even able to establish contact with Trump’s team. They should not be taking that access for granted.

The Israelis have long been concerned — with due reason — that the Palestinians have never intended to pursue a genuine peace and that the peace process is seen as a tactic to secure more land from which to launch continued attacks on the Jewish state. Leaders of the PA have paid lip service to the peace initiatives over the years, but the statements in the PA’s founding and guiding documents, its glorification of terrorists, the curriculum taught in its schools and its constant incitement on social media, among other things, have all long-told another story.

Here we have an administration that for the first time seems prepared to call the Palestinians’ bluff. The recognition of Jerusalem at the onset of a peace initiative — and the lining up of further repercussions — shows the Palestinians and the international community just how serious the president is.

It’s a thoroughly worthwhile and commendable move.

Dovid Efune is the editor-in-chief and CEO of The Algemeiner.

[Hombre]

****************E X C E L L E N T!!!!!!!**************

Good move - Just about Time.

In life, one has to know when to stop. Arab/Islamic delegates to UN badly miscalculated their ill-conceived move, when they pushed the GA to deprive Jews connection to Jerusalem. It was the stupidest move one ever imagined.

No worry. These days Sunni world in is a dire position to confront the Shi'ite surge in the region, which for sure could jeopardize their own regimes in the region. W/O Israel's help they won't be able to put the Mullahs in Tehran in their proper place. They will bark few times and forget about it.

It seems obvious that a deal was made between US, Saudi Arabia & Israel - recognize Jerusalem as Israel capital - or else. It also explains the muted response from Sunni Muslims.

[sum]

I find it incredible that politicians are complaining that Trump`s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel`s capital will set back the peace process. As I understand Islam there can never be peace with Islam until Islam prevails over all other non-muslim cultures and religions. Muslims are told that they must fight until all religion is for Allah and to make matters worse the Jews are the worst people on earth.

Do the politicians truly believe that a two state solution would lead to permanent peace in Israel? At some point muslims will have to be confronted regarding Islam versus non_islam. This appears to be the possible beginning. I strongly support Trump.

How do muslims justify their claim for Jerusalem? Is it based on the absurd claim of Muhammad`s imaginary flight to the "farthest mosque" when there was no mosque in Jerusalem? Can the muslim give a quote from the Koran or ahadith naming Jerusalem? Or is the claim based on Jerusalem being waqf after the muslims conquered Jerusalem?

If the muslims believe in the right of conquest when it benefits them then they should accept that in turn they should accept that Jerusalem rightfully belongs to the Jews both historically and through right of conquest.

sum

[glitch]

I find it incredible that politicians are complaining that Trump`s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel`s capital will set back the peace process. As I understand Islam there can never be peace with Islam until Islam prevails over all other non-muslim cultures and religions. Muslims are told that they must fight until all religion is for Allah and to make matters worse the Jews are the worst people on earth.

Do the politicians truly believe that a two state solution would lead to permanent peace in Israel? At some point muslims will have to be confronted regarding Islam versus non_islam. This appears to be the possible beginning. I strongly support Trump.

How do muslims justify their claim for Jerusalem? Is it based on the absurd claim of Muhammad`s imaginary flight to the "farthest mosque" when there was no mosque in Jerusalem? Can the muslim give a quote from the Koran or ahadith naming Jerusalem? Or is the claim based on Jerusalem being waqf after the muslims conquered Jerusalem?

If the muslims believe in the right of conquest when it benefits them then they should accept that in turn they should accept that Jerusalem rightfully belongs to the Jews both historically and through right of conquest.

sum

So, how many times in the Koran, is Jerusalem mentioned? 0 funny
And funny how muslims all claim it to be their capital as its roots all point back to Jews but this is nothing new. Muslims have denied Jewish roots in the land all the while archeologist uncover site after site all over the area.

naming the city of Jerusalem the capital of isreal does several things.

Politicians can now recognize isreal proper.
we recognise isreal who took the city in warfare, and it is now theres.
And palestinians can go sit and spin--good luck--you will never have a nation--allah commands you to kill--go do it...and when enough muslims have died they will beg for peace.

[manfred]

Jerusalem became only really gained prominence after Mohammed's death. Before, Mohammed used it as a direction for prayer for a time, "to convert their hearts of the Jews" as the hadith says, but when he realised that Jews would not convert to Islam in any numbers, he changed the direction of prayer to Mecca. This in effect marginalised Jerusalem for the early Muslims.

After Mohammed's death, however, the Levant was conquered. "Conquered" is a big word, it was virtually empty land, but Muslim rulers liked the more fertile regions better and moved to Damascus. To justify this move, and to get more Muslims to populate the area, suddenly the legend of the night journey was put about, giving Jerusalem some importance as a kind of afterthought. It is important to realise, as glitch says, that the "furthest mosque" of Qur'an is ambiguous and the interpretation as being in Jerusalem only arises some 100 years or so after the death of Mohammed, and in any case the reference sits oddly out of context in the Qur'an suggesting a late addition. It is the opening verse of surah 17, but the points made are not followed up at all. It is followed by a general rant about the Jews, mentioning Noah and Moses, followed by various points of Islamic beliefs, in no particular order. The night journey is an odd fragment in the Qur'an, at best, and it is also an anachronism, as there simply was no mosque at all in Jerusalem during Mohammed's lifetime.

The Muslims call Jerusalem "al Quds" , so they do not even recognise it historical root as the "keep of Jeru" which became David's capital.

So the Muslim claim, all said and done, is really no more tenable than the suggestion that Jerusalem should be part of Italy because in was once part of the Roman Empire. Sure, once they conquered it, but just as they took it by conquest, it was taken again after them. If their claim is purely based on conquest, then surely they cannot object to the new conquerors, specially when they have been there a long time before them.

So I am pleased that the US recognises that Jerusalem in the capital of Israel. And the Muslims who are complaining know they have no chance of conquering it again.

[pr126]

[idesigner1]

Civilized world should support Trump.

Muslims have their own religious place which is off limit to other religionists.
How about makin Mecca open city to all!
Jerusalem was occupied and converted to Islam by force.Kck out all Muslims from Jerusalem. Sons and daughters of people who raped their great great during Omar's time.

As long as Muslims keep on fighting on this issue they will live us kaffirs alone!

[glitch]

Ha, remember when Barak Obama said it. then took it back. And someone on this board said, oh uh he misspoke."

No he's a little bitch who couldnt handle muslims not liking him, so he spent his entire presidency treating isreal like s#it.

[Ariel]

[Fernando]

Nice one - but is it pro Trump/Israel or was it originally a Leftish piss-take against them?