Mayor Nir Barkat Implores US to Move Embassy

By: ICEJ Staff Writers

A speech US President Donald Trump is scheduled to give on Wednesday in which he is expected to announce that the US officially recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel has drawn praise from many Christian and Jewish leaders in the US and Israel but also dire warnings from various governments, NGOs, terrorist organizations and even officials within the Trump Administration in Washington.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a statement Tuesday that he might cut diplomatic ties with Israel over the issue while the government of Saudi Arabia issued a milder statement that “Any US announcement on the status of Jerusalem prior to a final settlement would have a detrimental impact on the peace process and would heighten tensions in the region.”

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi echoed these sentiments in a conversation with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Sunday, saying American recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, even without immediately moving its embassy, would “trigger anger across the Arab and Muslim world, fuel tension and jeopardize peace efforts.”

Palestinian Authority officials and leaders of Israel’s Arab communities issued similar statements, along with the governments of most of the Arab and/or Moslem dominated countries in the world. European leaders also issued statements urging Trump not to take this step at this time.

“I turn to you President Trump, on behalf of the city of Jerusalem, the beating heart and soul of the Jewish people for more than 3,000 years,” Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat said, standing in front of the White House, in a video he posted Monday. “I thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your commitment and intention to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. In Jerusalem, we don’t cave in to pressure and we don’t let threats or violence stop us from doing what is right.”