This delegation traveled to Israel on behalf of the U.S. President to participate in the opening ceremony of the new building of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem, which takes place at the conclusion of the process of relocating this embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
On Monday and at the opening ceremony of the embassy, approximately 800 Israeli and American officials and foreign diplomats from around the world attended at the invitation of Israel, but countries that opposed this relocation, particularly European countries, refrained from participating.
Jared Kushner, Senior Advisor and son-in-law of the U.S. President, said at this ceremony: President Trump implemented another promise last week, which was the withdrawal from the Iran nuclear agreement. The Islamic Republic of Iran is a destabilizing factor in the Middle East.
Kushner, referring to the protests of some Palestinians, said that those who today do not accept reality and are protesting are not a solution to peace negotiations, but are the problem themselves. We are ready to advance peace negotiations between Israel and Palestinians.
The President’s son-in-law said in part of his speech: I am the grandson of a Jewish couple who survived the Holocaust. I have a picture of them on my desk to remind me how they were able to overcome darkness and come to America.
Simultaneously on Monday, dozens of Jews living in America, in protest of this U.S. government decision and the treatment of Palestinian protesters in Gaza by Israeli military forces, marched in Washington D.C. and, while chanting slogans and singing songs, blocked some streets in the capital.
According to Reuters news agency, about 100 Jewish protesters from the movement known as “If Not Now” with the slogan “Stop the Violence” on Pennsylvania Avenue – which connects the buildings of Congress and the White House – and in front of the Trump Hotel, protested for approximately two hours.
President Trump’s Historic Decision on Jerusalem
Donald Trump on December 6 recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and signed an executive order initiating the process of relocating the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
U.S. Presidents had previously suspended the implementation of Congress’s 1995 resolution regarding the relocation of the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem every six months, which prevented the relocation of the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. President Trump also signed this six-month suspension early in his tenure, but last December announced he would no longer sign this suspension.
Donald Trump had promised during last year’s election campaign that if he won, he would relocate the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem; something that would change decades of American policy in the Middle East. He was supposed to announce this news on Monday, but the White House announced it was being delayed.
The ceremony marking the relocation of the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem coincided with the anniversary of Israel’s reunification. Israel celebrates the anniversary of taking control of East Jerusalem during the Six-Day War 51 years ago as the day of the city’s unification.
Jerusalem, due to the presence of religious and historical sites, is a very sacred city for Jews, Christians, as well as Muslims, and the United Nations had once proposed it remain an international city.
In 1948, Israel took control of the western part and Jordan took control of the eastern part of Jerusalem. Israel, which considers this city its eternal capital, took control of the eastern part after the 1967 war.
Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, again thanked President Trump on Sunday during the weekly cabinet meeting for the decision to relocate the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and said: “We this week have the honor of witnessing a historic event. This decision was made by the greatest power in the world, our friend the United States. President Trump promised to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and kept his word. On this occasion, tomorrow we will have a real celebration.”
Palestinians have repeatedly protested in opposition to the U.S. President’s decision to relocate the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
