December 8, 2017: Readers react to Trump’s declaration on Jerusalem

Readers react to Trump’s declaration on Jerusalem

By LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters (photo credit: REUTERS)
Letters
(photo credit: REUTERS)
With regard to “Trump on J’lem: ‘That city is Israel’s capital” (December 7), it is actually quite preposterous to suggest that US President Donald Trump changed anything – except on giving the world a lesson in realism.
All visiting heads of state and government as well as other high-ranking officials from the 86 countries that recognize Israel (and many from those that do not) have met their Israeli counterparts in Jerusalem. The city thus has the de facto recognition of every visiting dignitary, and no amount of wailing, hand-wringing or violent protest is going to change this.
Maybe the Palestinians will finally understand that obstructionism is counterintuitive. I am sure they will always be welcome to come and talk to the leaders of Israel in Israel’s capital – Jerusalem!
ARNOLD EPSTEIN
Jerusalem
It is well to recall that both Egyptian president Anwar Sadat and Jordan’s king Hussein addressed the Knesset in Jerusalem. As the definition of a capital is primarily where the legislature sits, we can learn that these two Arab leaders effectively recognized the city as Israel’s capital many years ago.
DAVID AMINOFF
Jerusalem
In 1948, the US State Department put maximal pressure on David Ben-Gurion to postpone the independence of Israel. It said the move would lead to Arab aggression, to which Ben-Gurion replied: Independence will always lead to Arab aggression, so no reason to postpone independence.
Recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel and moving the US Embassy to where it belongs will always lead to Arab aggression. So no reason to postpone these two steps.
Appeasing anti-Israel forces – a group to which, sadly, Europe belongs – makes those forces only stronger, and Israel and the US weaker.
JOHAN RHODIUS
Jerusalem
The writer is an attorney and previously worked for the UN refugee agency UNHCR in Africa.
Look at the difference between the Obama and Trump presidencies.
Barack Obama declared that the borders of Israel must be the 1967 lines unless the Palestinians, in the kindness of their hearts, agreed to land swaps. This, despite the value to Jews of such sites as the Western Wall, the Old City of Jerusalem, Rachel’s Tomb and more.
Donald Trump, in his first year, has had the courage to keep his promise to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
BEN KLEIN
New York
President Donald Trump has announced that he is recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and directing the State Department to start the process of moving the US Embassy.
His announcement recognizes what has been true for almost 70 years. It is something that almost every president has promised to do since taking office, but did not. President Trump now stands shoulder to shoulder with Israel.
Thank you, Mr. President, for keeping your campaign promise to stand with Israel. It’s true that Israel has no greater ally in the world today than the United States, and perhaps even Donald Trump.
BRYAN LEIB
Philadelphia
The writer is treasurer of the Philadelphia Young Republicans.
While I am thrilled that President Trump publicly announced that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, I can’t help but to ask why now. What could he possibly gain at this time?
My answer is that this recognition also serves as a direct warning to North Korea and Iran that when the president of the United States makes a promise, he will back up that promise even if a large portion of the world is not on board.
Beware Tehran and Pyongyang!
PAUL BERMAN
Shoham
President Donald Trump mentioned the need to find a place in Jerusalem to build the US Embassy. There already is a large patch of land on Hebron Road that was bought by the US for that purpose years ago. It has been sitting vacant for many years.
What is wrong with using the land they already have?
SANDRA BERLINGER
Jerusalem