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[webfact]

Trump likely to delay move of U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem - official

 

U.S. President Donald Trump looks up as reporters ask questions about the future of U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., November 30, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump is likely to waive a requirement that the United States move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, but is weighing other options to make clear his intent to do so eventually, a senior administration official said on Thursday.

 

Trump pledged on the campaign trail last year that he would move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a long-time goal of Republican politicians.

 

But in keeping with recent practice, Trump in June waived the requirement to avoid inflaming tensions in the Middle East.

 

A senior administration official said Trump will likely waive the requirement again in coming days, but that he is considering what other steps he might take at the same time, such as declaring Jerusalem the capital of Israel.

 

The United States has no embassy building in Jerusalem that it could move U.S. diplomatic operations into, meaning any move would take plenty of lead time in order to build an embassy.

 

Vice President Mike Pence said earlier this week that Trump is actively considering "when and how" to move the embassy to Jerusalem.

 

The status of Jerusalem is one of the major stumbling blocks in achieving peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

 

Israel captured Arab East Jerusalem during the 1967 Middle East war and later annexed it, a move not recognised internationally. Israel considers all of the city its indivisible capital.

 

The Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. Jerusalem is home to holy sites of the Jewish, Muslim and Christian religions.

 

(Reporting by Steve Holland; editing by Jonathan Oatis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-12-01

[Boon Mee]

Looks like it's on!  Don't believe all those Nattering Nabobs of Negativism:

 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/white-house-considering-plan-for-relocating-embassy-in-israel-1512070058

[helpisgood]

Not what the Middle East needs right now. 

 

I can see how this helps Trump with some supporters in the USA and with some in Israel, but I don't see how this progresses the region to less tension, and a better chance for reconciliation and the resolving of differences. 

[Morch]

I doubt that there will be a major change (such as declaring relocation of the embassy), although Trump being Trump, can't 100% rule it out. Considering the administration is gearing up to present its proposed framework for ME talks, the timing is all wrong. To remind, just last month, the administration backed down on shutting the PLO's mission in DC, for pretty much the same reason.

 

Hopefully, the administration will also avoid taking other alternatives steps ("such as declaring Jerusalem the capital of Israel"), which will serve no real purpose, but could complicate things further.

 

 

Edited December 1, 2017 by Morch

[boomerangutang]

Yet another air-headed idea of the dufus in chief.  ....and yet another U-turn on policy.   Add it to file which contains the brilliant idea:   "We'll get Russia to work with us on cyber security.  It should be great, don't you think?"

[Jingthing]

He will "eventually" build a full border wall with Mexico.

Yeah.

Uh huh.

Believe me!

 

Next ... 

[Srikcir]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

declaring Jerusalem the capital of Israel

8 hours ago, webfact said:

The status of Jerusalem is one of the major stumbling blocks in achieving peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

So will Trump or alter-ego Kushner give up being the self appointed moderator for peace negotiations? Because surely his declaring Jerusalem as the capital of Israel will cease any further peace negotiations by the Palestinians.

[Srikcir]

16 minutes ago, Morch said:

which will serve no real purpose

Except to further the perception that Trump has no consistent M.E. policy nor can be trusted as a neutral party or moderator in peace negotiations, whether it be with Palestine or any other M.E. conflict.

[Jingthing]

Might be better chance of an effective negotiation if trump hands this over to his good comrade Vladimir .. 

[Morch]

4 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Except to further the perception that Trump has no consistent M.E. policy nor can be trusted as a neutral party or moderator in peace negotiations, whether it be with Palestine or any other M.E. conflict.

 

Well, that's not a purpose as such, but another jab at Trump. Not unwarranted, of course.

 

[Morch]

1 hour ago, Srikcir said:

So will Trump or alter-ego Kushner give up being the self appointed moderator for peace negotiations? Because surely his declaring Jerusalem as the capital of Israel will cease any further peace negotiations by the Palestinians.

 

While I'm sure Kushner is biased, doubt he's that removed from reality as to imagine this would not have negative consequences. Also, he's not the one who made them election promises. Reads more like one of Trump's routine tantrums over not being able to eat the cake and keep it to.

[Srikcir]

31 minutes ago, Morch said:

, he's not the one who made them election promises.

Kushner promised plan within four months (August 27, 2017)

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/234556

30 more days, running out of time.

Delusion complex seems epidemic around the Trump family.

[Morch]

13 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Kushner promised plan within four months (August 27, 2017)

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/234556

30 more days, running out of time.

Delusion complex seems epidemic around the Trump family.

 

I thought it was clear I was referring to Trump's elections campaign promises. Voters don't give a hoot if Kushner does not present the fabled plan on time, but some will take notice of Trump failing to meet his. Not same same any which way one looks at it.

 

There were previous reports to the effect that the administration is, indeed, in the last stages of formulating a proposed course of action for negotiations. Given that it's Trump's administration, and a tricky issue regardless, wouldn't be all that surprised if things were to be delayed.

 

I don't think it's delusional to come up with a schedule, or a proposal. Putting forth something worthwhile is another matter.

[boomerangutang]

Kushner is in charge of steering US's policy on Israel/Palestinian peace process.  That, along with the score of other big issues he's supposed to be steering.  It's like putting a lamb in charge of a pod of whales' migration plans.  If I had a restaurant, I wouldn't put Kushner in charge of flipping pancakes.