A group of more than 100 members of Congress wrote to President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday, urging him to relocate the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem “as soon as you take office,” the Washington Free Beaconreports.
Moving the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem was a campaign pledge of Trump’s. His campaign manager Kellyanne Conway indicated last month that moving the embassy to Jerusalem "is a very big priority” for Trump, while media reports in Israel at the time indicated the transition team for Trump is already looking into possible locations in Jerusalem for the embassy.
The letter from the Congressmen was spearheaded by Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), reported the Free Beacon. It urges Trump to send a message to the world that the United States views Jerusalem as “the eternal capital of the Jewish people,” according to the missive.
“We write to express support for this policy and to urge you to take swift action to relocate our embassy to Jerusalem as soon as you take office,” the lawmakers wrote.
“Israel is one of the United States’ closest allies and stands alone in the Middle East for its commitment to democratic ideals. Moving the embassy will strengthen the unique alliance between Israel and the United States and send a clear message to the world that we support Israel in recognizing Jerusalem as its eternal capital,” they added.
“This action is all the more urgent in light of the anti-Israel Resolution 2234, adopted by the United Nations Security Council on December 23, 2016,” the lawmakers write, a reference to the resolution criticizing Israeli “settlement building” which the Obama administration allowed to pass by abstaining in the vote. READ MORE
