A Palestinian in Jerusalem describes the impact of Trump’s announcement that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel: “Prior to this announcement, we were in the first week of a joyous Christmas… Christmas trees in every shop and restaurant, Santa hats in cars and Christmas carols sung everywhere. Giant Christmas trees lit in the main squares of the cities with tens of thousands of Christians and Muslims celebrating together…”
Trump decided to keep his campaign pledge, despite warnings from Mattis and Tillerson that the move would endanger US diplomats, undermine the peace process, and be condemned in both Arab countries and America’s most important Eurpean allies. Domestically, Trump has little to worry about. Democrats have fawned over Israel for 70 years, the Republicans’ Christian Evangelical base supports the embassy move, and the GOP has been desperate to break into what was once a Democrat-only monopoly on Jewish-American political funding—and Jewish votes…
Jewish Insider reports that Israel’s Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer says the Golan Heights is an “issue that we’ve raised many times….. Maybe we’ll have another historic day during the Trump Presidency.” Israel conquered the Golan Heights in 1967 and has largely ethnically cleansed the Syrian territory…
Israeli forces killed 2 Palestinian protesters and injured 767… Trump signed waiver to postpone moving embassy, just like previous presidents (see video)…. Original legislation to move US embassy was passed with bipartisan support, including Biden, Kerry, etc… JTA says all major mainstream Jewish groups support Trump announcement, some smaller ones oppose the timing… This post will be UPDATED as events occur…
In trying to rally American hostility toward Iran (long an Israeli target) CIA Director Pompeo and other U.S. officials are engaging in the same kind of distorted intelligence that led to the catastrophic Iraq invasion.
Video and transcript of Trump’s announcement recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
The House just passed the Taylor Force Act, allegedly on behalf of an American killed by a Palestinian, designed to pressure the PA into “de-incentivizing terrorism” – even though Israel kills far more civilians. Congress and others do not show similar concern for 34 American servicemen killed by Israel…
Background on President Trump’s announcement regarding Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The issue has its roots in history and in the hearts of billions of adherents of the world’s three most populous religions. Billionaire Israel partisan Sheldon Adelson pushed for Trump’s move…
Haaretz reports that a senior Israeli rabbi ruled against an image of an Israeli poet on a banknote because the poet’s wife was Christian. The rabbi said: “in our tradition, there are grave things written about whoever [lives his life] with a Christian. Tied to him like a dog. [People like that are] called apostates.” The ruling impacts ultra-Orthodox Jews living throughout Israel…
American neocons and Israelophiles look to disable Iran’s economy, to weaken Iran’s potential in the region by strengthening the Kurds, and possibly even through regime change. The goal is for US policies that maintain Israeli regional dominance – even though these cause damage to the US…