This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
End of dialog window.
In moving America's embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, President Trump just delivered on a promise made by Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton.
All four promised as candidates to move the embassy to Jerusalem, but none other than Trump brought the issue to the fore after being elected presidents.
In 1992, Bill Clinton proclaimed: “Jerusalem is still the capital of Israel and must remain an undivided city accessible to all.”
Likewise, George Bush campaigned on moving the embassy.
“As soon as I take office I will begin the process of moving the U.S. ambassador to the city Israel has chosen as its capital,’’ Bush said in 2000.
Running in 2008, Barack Obama also promised to move the embassy.
“I continue to say that Jerusalem will be the capital of Israel, and I have said that before, and I will say it again," Obama said. "And Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel, and it must remain undivided.”
Trump too promised on the campaign trail to move the embassy: “We will move the American embassy to the eternal capital of the Jewish people, Jerusalem. (Cheering and Applause) ... Therefore, I have determined that it is time to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. While previous presidents have made this a major campaign promise they failed to deliver. Today I am delivering. I’ve judged this course of action to be in the best interests of the United States of America and the pursuit of peace between Israel and the Palestinians. This is a long-overdue step to advance the peace process and to work towards a lasting agreement.”
Today, America's Israeli embassy officially re-opened in Jerusalem.