The United States is asking Israel to temper its response to the recognition of Jerusalem as its capital because Washington expects a backlash and is weighing the potential threat to U.S. facilities and people, according to a State Department document seen by the Reutersnews agency on Wednesday.
“While I recognize that you will publicly welcome this news, I ask that you restrain your official response,” the document dated said in talking points for diplomats at the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv to convey to Israeli officials.
“We expect there to be resistance to this news in the Middle East and around the world. We are still judging the impact this decision will have on U.S. facilities and personnel overseas,” the document added.
A second State Department document seen by Reuters said the agency had formed an internal task force “to track worldwide developments” following the U.S. decision on Jerusalem.
A U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity said it was standard to set up a task force “any time there is a concern about the safety and security of U.S. government personnel or U.S. citizens.”
The State Department would not comment on either document.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday officially recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and announced that he had ordered the State Department to begin the process of moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem. It is believed the embassy move could take three to four years. READ MORE
