Top Congressional Republicans are increasing pressure on the Trump Administration to fulfill a campaign promise to relocate the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, from Tel Aviv. They argue that this change would strengthen US-Israel ties after 8 disastrous years of Obama’s inept and disgraceful treatment of the US-Israel alliance.
While on the campaign trail in 2016, Donald Trump promised that one of his first acts in office would be to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, Israel’s capital city. However, he delayed the process back in June, issuing a waiver to prevent the embassy from being relocated.
The move had sparked confusion and discontent in the largely Republican pro-Israel community, segments of which had touted Trump as a positive force for U.S. and Israel relations. Now, the deadline is back, and looming.
On December 1, the Israel Embassy will be moved to Jerusalem, unless President Trump issues another 6-month waiver to the order.
The House National Security Committee is considering the issue today, in an attempt to bring attention to the issue and encourage the Trump Administration to take action.
Committee Chairman, Rep. Ron DeSantis, explained, “Moving the American embassy to Jerusalem is long overdue.” He continued, “It is absurd that Israel is the only nation in the world where our embassy is not located in the nation’s capital city. This is no way to treat an ally, much less one of our closest allies.”
The Trump administration’s decision to follow suit with the past presidents and delay the embassy move must be reversed by the December deadline, DeSantis further added. “It will send a powerful signal about American leadership when President Trump relocates the embassy to Jerusalem. It will also demonstrate that the U.S. recognizes Jerusalem as Israel’s eternal and indivisible capital and will show hostile actors throughout the Middle East that Israel is here to stay.”
Former United Nations ambassador John Bolton, a vocal pro-Israel supporter, will too join several others in advocating for the move.
Bolton’s renewed presence and prominence is especially noteworthy due to his public criticism of the Obama administration on a range of issues, including harsh criticism of Obama’s Iran Nuclear Deal.
