Exclusive: Trump Won't Relocate US Embassy to Jerusalem

POTUS has decided to go back on previous promises to take the dramatic step. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has been notified of the decision, which was made over the last few days

United States President Donald Trump has decided to sign the waiver delaying the contentious move of relocating the country's embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, sources have told nrg. The decision has been relayed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who's policy has thus been dealt a serious blow.
 
Israel regards Jerusalem as its capital, and the city is home to its parliament and to most government bodies. Foreign embassies, however, are situated in Tel Aviv as most of the international community does not recognize Israel's position.

The US congress ruled in 1995 that the embassy should be transferred to Jerusalem, stating that "Jerusalem should remain an undivided city in which the rights of every ethnic and religious group are protected; Jerusalem should be recognized as the capital of the State of Israel; and the United States Embassy in Israel should established in Jerusalem no later than May 31, 1999."
 
The law was approved almost unanimously in both the Senate and in the House of Representatives. However, all three presidents who have since held office – Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama – have all made use of a clause allowing the president to delay the implementation of the move every half year. All three have signed the waiver every six months, citing national security concerns.

The last time the waiver was signed was in October 2016 by President Obama. This means Trump must decide by May 31 if he signs it, delaying the move by six additional months, or if he avoids doing so for the first time in 22 years, causing the law to immediate come into effect.
 
Like his predecessors, Trump promised to move the embassy during his presidential campaign. He repeatedly stated his intention to do so, and stated in the AIPAC conference in March 2016 that "we will move the US embassy to the eternal capital of the Jewish people, Jerusalem."

Since his first day in office, there have been struggles behind the scenes on the question of moving the embassy. Sources close to the White House said that the President had intended to announce the move on the very day he took office, on January 20, and that his team had even began preparing for the ceremony. Briefings emerging from his office at the time confirmed that was his decision. For yet unknown reasons, Trump decided that day to avoid making the announcement, and later said merely that he was "considering the issue."

In addition, Trump had also planned to announce his recognition of unified Jerusalem as the capital of Israel ahead of his visit to the country in two weeks. But according to messages that have been received in Jerusalem, Trump has decided to sign the waiver – defying explicit requests by Israel to avoid doing so.

(English translation: Michael Bachner)
היכנסו לעמוד הפייסבוק החדש של nrg