“I want to be a voice for the voiceless and I can not do that by going on this kind of a trip to Israel”, he said.
As the city’s status is disputed, with both Israel and the Palestinians seeing it as their capital, no countries now have their embassies there – instead placing them in Tel Aviv.
Another shift came after Rex Tillerson was sworn in as secretary of State on February 1 and met with senior diplomats about policies in the Middle East. Trump repeatedly pledged to move the embassy to Jerusalem throughout the 2016 presidential campaign, and lambasted former President Barack Obama’s decision to allow a United Nations resolution condemning Israel to pass without veto.
Israel’s future settlement plans could hinge on Netanyahu’s Wednesday visit to the White House.
Gro Harlem Brundtland, Deputy Chair of The Elders and Prime Minister of Norway at the time of the Oslo Accords, added: ”All settlements on occupied Palestinian land are illegal under worldwide law – whether or not Israel chooses to recognise them”.
Netanyahu, meanwhile, has repeatedly offered to sit down with Palestinian Authority officials, but without preconditions, which include withdrawing to the 1949 armistice lines and re-dividing Jerusalem (as it was during the Jordanian occupation), both non-starters for Israel.
Trump, however, has been inconsistent on the matter – suggesting at times he is supportive of growth.
It was undersigned by various far-left organizations, including the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights, the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel and its U.S. -based counterpart, as well as Jewish Voice for Peace.
“Many people are having a tough time understanding Trump”, said Knesset insider Jeremy Man Saltan.
“There’s going to be a legal battle against this bill”, said Lior Amihai, spokesman for Peace Now.
SINGH: Critics continue to argue that this law we’re talking about seems to represent a step away from an independent state for Palestinians. “You’re either in or you’re out”, Bennett added, “Well, I’m in”.
Make no mistake: soon, thousands of settlers will scramble to establish new settlements – and that is in addition to the thousands of settlement housing units that will be sponsored and built by the Israeli government itself. The U.S. decided on Tel-Aviv for political reasons.
Many in Israel’s security establishment have begrudgingly acknowledged that the internationally brokered 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which Netanyahu fiercely opposed, has successfully blocked Tehran’s ability to build a nuclear bomb.
“Such policies will only make us more committed to our rights and identity”, said the Hamas official. Also, please ask your legislators to stop supporting Israel with billions of dollars.
