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.
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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.
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