Recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Isreal

Quote: Pacomartin

But it is not really a surprise as it was a major promise of his campaign. You can say one thing about Trump, he is true to his campaign promises.

Quote: Pacomartin

But it is not really a surprise as it was a major promise of his campaign. You can say one thing about Trump, he is true to his campaign promises.

Quote: Evenbob

It was a campaign promise of Ford,
Carter, Bush sr and jr, Clinton, Obama.

Quote: Wizard

Can I have a source on that?

Quote: Friday October 27, 1995

Israeli and Jewish leaders laud embassy bill, but Clinton upset
MATTHEW DORF
Jewish Telegraphic Agency

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-N.Y.) called this week's votes in Congress to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem the righting of "an absurdity which has endured for nearly half a century." Tuesday's Senate and House votes follow a decade-long battle spearheaded by Moynihan to recognize a united Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The legislation, on the eve of official festivities here to celebrate Jerusalem 3000, was welcomed by Israel and most American Jewish groups but condemned by the Palestinians and President Clinton, who said its passage would jeopardize the peace process.

Israel, which has claimed Jerusalem as its capital since 1950, annexed the eastern portion of the city after the 1967 Six Day War. The Palestinians seek eastern Jerusalem as the capital of a hoped-for future state. With overwhelming bipartisan support, the Senate passed a vote 93-5 requiring the State Department to move the embassy by May 31, 1999. Hours later, the House of Representatives passed the measure, by a 374-37 vote, with five abstentions. The votes mark the first time the United States has moved to recognize with the force of law a united Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

California Sens. Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein, both Democrats, voted in favor of the bill. All Northern California House of Representatives members voted in favor of it, except Ron Dellums (D-Berkeley) and George Miller (D-Martinez).

The bill declares that Jerusalem "is the capital of the state of Israel" and "should remain an undivided city in which the rights of every ethnic and religious group are protected." The Senate and House votes preceded visits by Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert to Washington Wednesday to celebrate the 3000th anniversary of King David's declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of the Jews.

Anticipating charges that the bill would interfere with the peace process, Moynihan said, "It is inconceivable that Israel would agree to any proposal in which Jerusalem did not remain the capital of Israel."

Aiming to win the support of the administration and lawmakers who were concerned that the move could disrupt the peace process at an especially critical time, sponsors of the measure agreed to allow the president to postpone the move by renewable six-month intervals.

But despite the compromise, Clinton lashed out at Congress only minutes after the vote, accusing lawmakers of putting the peace process in jeopardy. The president's vehement reaction surprised supporters of the legislation, who had expected a more favorable response from the White House.

Clinton, however, will not veto the legislation. Instead he will let the bill become law without his signature, according to his spokesman, Mike McCurry.

"A step such as this could hinder the peace process. I will not let this happen and will use the legislation's waiver authority to avoid damage to the peace process," Clinton said in a statement.

But Clinton could not exercise that decision until 1998, well into what would be his second term if he were re-elected. Clinton would have vetoed the legislation under different circumstances, McCurry said.

The measure directs the State Department to set aside $25 million in 1996 and $75 million in 1997 for the construction and other costs of moving the embassy. Within 30 days of the measure becoming law, Secretary of State Warren Christopher must submit a report to Congress that includes a timetable for construction and a cost estimate.

Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres welcomed the move. "We appreciate very much the act that was taken by the American Congress," he said. "If there is one issue that Israel is united around it is united Jerusalem, as the capital of Israel."

Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin concurred. "Jerusalem is our eternal capital. It will always be that way," he said.

The Palestinian Authority did not condemn the law, as had been expected. But Faisal Husseini, the Palestine Liberation Organization's top official in Jerusalem, blasted the move, saying that it could harm Israeli-Arab peace efforts.

Palestinian and Israel negotiators are scheduled to complete talks on the final status of Jerusalem in 1999.

Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.), Dole, who spearheaded the latest senate bill, said, "This legislation is not about the peace process, it is about recognizing Israel's capital.

In fact, workers have already begun to clear a site in Talpiot in western Jerusalem, which the United States has presumably purchased for a future embassy.

Many American Jewish groups supported the goal of the legislation but withheld endorsement of the original bill that required groundbreaking to begin in 1996, fearing that it would impact the peace process and insert partisanship into the status of Jerusalem.

After the vote, however, most Jewish organizations expressed support for the bill. AIPAC, the pro-Israel lobby, which aggressively lobbied members to support the measure, hailed its passage, as did Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.

The American Jewish Committee, however, did not support the legislation, concerned that it would harm the peace talks. And the Zionist Organization of America criticized Congress for dropping provisions requiring construction to start next year.

Quote: Pacomartin

But it is not really a surprise as it was a major promise of his campaign. You can say one thing about Trump, he is true to his campaign promises.

1. United States 24 October 1945
2. Israel 11 May 1949
3. Guatemala 21 November 1945
4. Honduras 17 December 1945
5. Marshall Islands 17 September 1991
6. Federated States of Micronesia 17 September 1991
7. Nauru 14 September 1999
8. Palau 15 December 1994
9. Togo 20 September 1960
   ------ abstain
10. Antigua and Barbuda 11 November 1981
11. Argentina 24 October 1945
12. Australia 1 November 1945
13. The Bahamas 18 September 1973
14. Benin 20 September 1960
15. Bhutan 21 September 1971
16. Bosnia and Herzegovina 22 May 1992
17. Cameroon 20 September 1960
18. Canada 9 November 1945
19. Colombia 5 November 1945
20. Croatia 22 May 1992
21. Czech Republic 19 January 1993
22. Dominican Republic 24 October 1945
23. Equatorial Guinea 12 November 1968
24. Fiji 13 October 1970
25. Haiti 24 October 1945
26. Hungary 14 December 1955
27. Jamaica 18 September 1962
28. Kiribati 14 September 1999
29. Latvia 17 September 1991
30. Lesotho 17 October 1966
31. Malawi 1 December 1964
32. Mexico 7 November 1945
33. Panama 13 November 1945
34. Paraguay 24 October 1945
35. Philippines 24 October 1945
36. Poland 24 October 1945
37. Romania 14 December 1955
38. Rwanda 18 September 1962
39. Solomon Islands 19 September 1978
40. South Sudan 14 July 2011
41. Trinidad and Tobago 18 September 1962
42. Tuvalu 5 September 2000
43. Uganda 25 October 1962
44. Vanuatu 15 September 1981
    ------ no vote
45. Central African Republic 20 September 1960
46. Democratic Republic of the Congo 20 September 1960
47. El Salvador 24 October 1945
48. Georgia (country) 31 July 1992
49. Guinea-Bissau 17 September 1974
50. Kenya 16 December 1963
51. Mongolia 27 October 1961
52. Myanmar 19 April 1948
53. Moldova 2 March 1992
54. Saint Lucia 18 September 1979
55. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 16 September 1980
56. Samoa 15 December 1976
57. San Marino 2 March 1992
58. São Tomé and Príncipe 16 September 1975
59. Sierra Leone 27 September 1961
60. Swaziland 24 September 1968
61. East Timor 27 September 2002
62. Tonga 14 September 1999
63. Turkmenistan 2 March 1992
64. Ukraine 24 October 1945
65. Zambia 1 December 1964

Quote: Pacomartin

Guatemala and Honduras are the only 2 out of 7 countries that voted with the USA and Israel against the UN resolution that are one of the 87 countries that have embassies in Israel. Guatemala is the first country to follow the USA in moving their Israeli embassy to Jerusalem

Quote:

I am not sure why Mexico didn't vote against the resolution instead of just abstaining.