Why Moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem Won't Destroy the Peace Process - ROBERT NICHOLSON/THE PHILOS PROJECT

Jerusalem (Wikimedia Commons )

Why Moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem Won't Destroy the Peace Process

1/25/2017 ROBERT NICHOLSON/THE PHILOS PROJECT

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas says moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem would be "disastrous" to the peace process. Philos Project Executive Director Robert Nicholson adamantly refutes that statement:

Moving the U.S. embassy to West Jerusalem, where Israel's claim to sovereignty is unchallenged, is not and would not be destructive to the Arab-Israeli peace process.

None of the current peace proposals or final status negotiations would be damaged. Neither Israeli nor Palestinian sovereignty would be compromised in any way. Those leaders threatening a meltdown of the peace process and massive outbreaks of violence are needlessly fanning the flames of hostility to serve their own ends. On the ground, as a matter of fact, nothing would be different.

We fully support President Trump's decision to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. As the ancient capital of the Jewish people, it is only natural that Jerusalem be recognized as the capital of the Jewish state. Moving our embassy also reflects a strong belief in the importance of Israeli sovereignty, American law and friendly relations between allies.

Jerusalem is the capital of the Jewish people, but it also holds deep significance for non-Jews both inside and outside the land. We anticipate a continuing commitment from the State of Israel to ensure religious liberty for all citizens, regardless of their faith or ethnicity. We also welcome new efforts from the Trump administration to advance the cause of peace in the context of both Jewish and Palestinian self-determination. This is a step in the right direction, and long overdue. 

Robert Nicholson is the executive director of the Philos Project, a network hub for leaders and future leaders who are committed to promoting positive Christian engagement in the Middle East. Please visit philosproject.org.

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Kellyanne Conway: Trump is Very Serious About Moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel - BOB ESCHLIMAN CHARISMA NEWS

Currently, the U.S. Embassy in Israel is located at Tel Aviv, but may soon move to Jerusalem after President-elect Donald Trump enters office. (Public Domain Image)

Kellyanne Conway: Trump is Very Serious About Moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel

12/13/2016 BOB ESCHLIMAN  CHARISMA NEWS

President-elect Donald Trump isn't backing out of his commitment to moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem anytime soon.

In an interview with nationally syndicated radio host Hugh Hewitt, his former campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, said the move is still a "very big priority" to the president-elect. She said she has personally heard him repeat the objective several times since after last month's election.

"It is something that our friend Israel, a great friend in the Middle East, would appreciate and something that a lot of Jewish-Americans have expressed their preference for," she said. "It is a great move. It is an easy move to do based on how much he talked about that in the debates and in the soundbites.

"People think it's just marriage, abortion, or religious liberties—and of course its about all that—but it's also about a strong Middle East and about protecting Israel. Evangelical Christians always have Israel at the top of their list when you ask what's most important to them."

In 1995, Congress passed a law that declared Jerusalem the capital of Israel and established it as the location for the U.S. Embassy. But every president has over the 21 years since signed the necessary six-month waivers, citing national security issues, to prevent the move from going forward.

The Republican-led Congress has toyed with the idea to remove the national security obstruction from the 1995 law. The 2016 GOP platform declares Jerusalem as the eternal capital of an undivided Israel, and during the general election campaign, Trump said such a move would happen "fairly quickly" if he were to be elected.

Such a move would undoubtedly anger the Palestinians, potentially leading to renewed violence within Israel. The Jewish nation-state declared Jerusalem as its capital in 1950, but very few countries have been willing to recognize it for fear of igniting violence, or becoming the target of radical Islamic terrorism.

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