Pence revives talk of U.S. moving Tel Aviv embassy to Jerusalem

REUTERS

 

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence speaks at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) policy conference in Washington, U.S., March 26, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Mike Pence on Sunday revived talk of the possibility the United States may move its embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv, saying President Donald Trump was seriously considering the matter.

 

During the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign, Trump's team spoke often about moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem. But since taking office, the contentious issue appears to have moved to the backburner.

 

"After decades of simply talking about it, the president of the United States is giving serious consideration to moving the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem," Pence said in a speech to the influential, pro-Israel U.S. lobbying group AIPAC.

 

Israel regards Jerusalem as its eternal and indivisible capital and wants all countries to base their embassies there, though Israeli politicians also understand that moving the U.S. embassy there could be destabilising.

 

The relocation is strongly opposed by many U.S. allies as the Palestinians also claim the city as their capital.

 

The final status of Jerusalem is supposed to be determined via direct negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

 

If the United States were to relocate its embassy, it would be seen as an explicit recognition of Jerusalem belonging to Israel, potentially pre-determining the outcome of eventual peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

 

The U.S. Senate on Thursday narrowly confirmed Trump's pick to be ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, a bankruptcy lawyer allied with the Israeli right, who favours moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem.

 

(Reporting By Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Andrew Hay)

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-03-27

Then the Muslims hit back and out come the crocodile tears. When will the Yanks ever learn. Everything you do in the mid-east blows up. 

Number one rule of the new man in charge in the US. If the majority are against it he is for it. A good example is the killing of Obamacare debacle. Next up tax reform. 

8 hours ago, webfact said:

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence on Sunday revived talk of the possibility the United States may move its embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv

And such a move will end any negotiations with Palestine for a two-state solution (supported by Secretary of State Tillerson and US Ambassador to the UN Haley) - before they even begin. More dangerously, it could also break the Muslim alliances of Jordon, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, etc. with the US in defeating ISIS and other Middle East radical insurgents.

11 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

And such a move will end any negotiations with Palestine for a two-state solution (supported by Secretary of State Tillerson and US Ambassador to the UN Haley) - before they even begin. More dangerously, it could also break the Muslim alliances of Jordon, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, etc. with the US in defeating ISIS and other Middle East radical insurgents.

 

And for the reasons above, Pence's words should be views in light of the venue. More crowd pleasing than actual policy decisions. That doesn't necessarily make bringing it up a smart move. As seen previously, the Trump administrations is perfectly at home talking to both sides and conveying somewhat contradictory messages.

8 hours ago, pegman said:

Then the Muslims hit back and out come the crocodile tears. When will the Yanks ever learn. Everything you do in the mid-east blows up. 

 

Indeed, does this clownish administration not have plenty of other problems to deal with, and a lot more urgently ?

Interesting picture !  Not  1  but  3 images  of the  not  President !  So  when 3  heads  talk in unison  does that  make it  real?

So  who is  trumping  who?