President Donald J. Trump Keeps His Promise to Open U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem, Israel
On May 14 the United States officially opened Embassy in Jerusalem, Israel, 70 years to the day that President Truman recognized Israel as an independent country, making the United States the first nation to do so. The White House has proclaimed that “announcing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital is simply a recognition of reality.”
The Reuters informs, that “the inauguration of the embassy, after Trump outraged the Arab world and stoked international concern by recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in December, was hailed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a “glorious day”. Thanking Trump for “having the courage” to move the embassy, Netanyahu said: “This is a great day. A great day for Jerusalem. A great day for the state of Israel. A day that will be engraved in our national memory for generations.”
Meantime, the U.S. move has sparked mass protest among Palestinians. ABC News reports, that “protesters began amassing at the Gaza border ahead of the embassy ceremony.” According to the Palestinian authorities, “more than 60 people, including eight children, were killed by the Israeli military in Palestinian protests that erupted Monday along the Gaza border as the U.S. opened its new embassy in Jerusalem.”
The Independent writes, that “while the shooting of mostly unarmed Palestinian protesters at the Gaza border fence received widespread international condemnation, criticism within the US was muted.
The U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley, addressing the UN Security Council on Tuesday said Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza, was responsible for the deaths and injuries. “Let’s remember that the Hamas terrorist organization has been inciting violence for years, long before the United States decided to move our embassy.” She added: “This is what is endangering the people of Gaza. Make no mistake, Hamas is pleased with the results from yesterday.” She has also claimed, that “no country would act with greater restraint than Israel.”
Prepared by Marina Muradyan