After decades of empty pledges to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, President Trump made good on his promise to do so Monday afternoon.
"Today, we finally acknowledge the obvious: that Jerusalem is Israel's capital," President Trump said.
President Trump did not attend, but delivered remarks through video.
FULL REMARKS: @POTUS delivers a video address for the opening of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem https://t.co/GgvWN7JV2C pic.twitter.com/32HVfjYFGO
— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 14, 2018
White House Senior Advisor Ivanka Trump and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, both part of the presidential delegation sent to Jerusalem over the weekend, officially unveiled the U.S. Embassy seal Monday afternoon.
Secretary Mnuchin and Ivanka Trump unveil a plaque during US Embassy ceremony.
— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 14, 2018
“We welcome you officially, and for the first time, to the embassy of the United States here in Jerusalem, the capital of Israel.” – @IvankaTrump pic.twitter.com/lwUCs38Gpd
.@IvankaTrump and Secretary @stevenmnuchin1 unveiled a plaque during the US Embassy opening ceremony in Jerusalem. https://t.co/oSmH5hKGUu pic.twitter.com/hnt5jvqrqC
— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 14, 2018
Thank you Prime Minister @netanyahu & Mrs. Netanyahu for the warm welcome to Israel. I am honored to join you & the US Delegation in commemorating the dedication of our new @usembassyjlm & celebrating the friendship between our two countries. #USEmbassyJerusalem ???? ???? pic.twitter.com/DY4z9sXnnS
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) May 14, 2018
U.S. Senators, Congressmen and Florida Governor Rick Scott attended the opening ceremony. U.S. Ambassador David Friedman served as master of ceremonies.
“Today, the embassy of the most powerful nation on earth, our greatest ally, the United States of America, today its embassy opened here...Thank you President Trump for having the courage to keep your promises," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during remarks at the event. “God bless the United States of America and God bless Jerusalem, the eternal undivided capital of Israel.”
White House Senior Advisor Jared Kushner, who is in charge of developing a Middle East peace plan, also gave remarks.
"The United States stands with Israel because we both believe in freedom," Kushner said. "When there is peace in this region, we will look back upon this day and remember that the journey to peace started with a strong America recognizing the truth.”
“Israel proves every day the boundless power of freedom. This land is the only land in the Middle East in which Jews, Muslims, and Christians, and people of all faiths participate and worship freely according to their beliefs. Israel protects women’s rights, freedom of speech, and the right of every individual to reach their God-given potential," he continued.
White House national security officials said on a call Sunday afternoon they are readying a Middle East plan and will release it at the proper time. They also said the Jerusalem move was not a "tit-for-tat" negotiating peace in the upcoming plan and the U.S. Embassy was moved in the interest of American national security.
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