President Trump had a bold message Friday for all the critics of his decision to formally recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and move the U.S. Embassy to the city from Tel Aviv: watch this video of my predecessors calling for the exact same thing.
“I fulfilled my campaign promise - others didn’t!” he tweeted early Friday morning along with a video montage of former Presidents Clinton, Obama, and George W. Bush all declaring Jerusalem to be the capital of Israel, with the latter making the case for moving the embassy.
I fulfilled my campaign promise - others didn’t! pic.twitter.com/bYdaOHmPVJ
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 8, 2017
In 1992, Clinton is seen saying: “Jerusalem is still the capital of Israel and must remain an undivided city accessible to all."
In 2000, Bush appears arguing: “As soon as I take office, I will move the United States ambassador to the city Israel has chosen as its capital.”
In 2008, Obama said: “I continue to say that Jerusalem will be the capital of Israel. I have said that before and I will say it again.”
None of these presidents followed through with any sort of formal declarations making the holy city Israel’s capital, despite their promises to do so.
The 1995 Jerusalem Embassy Act requires the U.S. to move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, unless the president, citing national security concerns, signs a waiver to temporarily halt the move. Every president since then has done so. (The Hill)
"While previous presidents have made this a major campaign promise, they failed to deliver," Trump said Wednesday in announcing his decision. "Today, I am delivering."
Trump said he is instructing the State Department to begin the process of moving the embassy, which will take several years.