“Thank you, President Trump,” Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu proclaimed, “for having the courage to keep your promises!” Netanyahu declared the opening of the US embassy in Jerusalem as a “great day for Israel, a great day for America,” but also “a great day for peace.”
Trump pre-empted the praise with his own prerecorded speech for the ceremony, declaring that “it’s been a long time coming,” and “that for many years, we failed to acknowledge the obvious”:
“This city and this entire nation is a testament to the unbreakable spirit of the Jewish people,” he said. “The United States will always be a great friend of Israel.”
The president went on to express his hope for peace in the region in the video message.
“We extend a hand in friendship to Israel, to Palestinians and to all of their neighbors. May there be peace. May God bless this embassy. May God bless all who serve there, and may God bless the United States of America,” Trump said.
Netanyahu followed Trump’s presentation with a longer address, in which he also personally thanked Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. Continuing on a personal reflection, Netanyahu recalled his boyhood days in this same neighborhood, long before it got built up into its modern form. He told the crowd that his mother warned him not to wander too far into the neighborhood as it sat near the green line, and its streets were exposed to sniper fire. “What a difference!” Netanyahu proclaimed:
“We are here in Jersualem,” Netanyahu declared, “and we are here to stay!” That’s been obvious for decades, even as outside militaries and terror groups have tried to push Israel off its land and out of its capital. After the 1967 war, in which Jordan and Syria both lost territory (West Bank and Golan Heights, respectively) after attempting to relieve Egypt by opening new fronts in the east, it’s been clear that Israel (a) saw that territory as a necessary buffer after three separate attempts by Arab nations to invade through them, and (b) would never go back to agreeing that Jerusalem was an “open city.” Pretending otherwise made everyone look foolish and perpetuated false hopes in the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.
As Jeff B noted earlier today, the most virtuous aspect of Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital is the discarding of 50 years of ignoring reality:
I grudgingly hand it to Trump – never in 100yrs did I think the U.S. Israeli embassy would actually be moved to Jerusalem per his campaign promise but by gum he went and did it and demonstrated how pointless the longstanding refusal to acknowledge reality on the ground there was.
As Trump himself said, we refused to acknowledge the obvious for more than fifty years. It’s possible that this will exacerbate tensions and make peace more difficult to achieve, but … what has the fifty years of fantasy diplomacy achieved? We still have Mahmoud Abbas spouting nonsensical genealogical arguments to paint the entire state of Israel as illegitimate and no movement at all on numerous peace proposals offered by previous administrations that played along with Abbas’ nuttiness.
We’ve tried pretending for fifty years. Maybe a hard dose of reality is worth trying at this point. It certainly couldn’t do any worse.
Jerusalem is Israel’s capital. By finally recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, the United States has chosen fact over fiction. And fact is the only true foundation for a just and lasting peace. https://t.co/u4wNzgrYP4
And count Chuck Schumer as one of the people cheering Trump in this instance:
Schumer: In a long overdue move, we have moved our embassy to Jerusalem. Every nation should have the right to choose its capital. I sponsored legislation to do this two decades ago, and I applaud President Trump for doing it.
Meh. Saudi Arabia is an ally. Pakistan is an ally. Egypt is an ally.
Turkey isn't very cooperative. But kicking them out gives the Russians the Dardanelles and direct rail lines into the Middle East. And that's a bad thing.
So we have to tolerate Turkey, because the alternative is a grand strategic mess.
Well, I can certainly see cutting Kurdistan off but the rest of Turkey is pretty much Turkish, and Turks are pretty nationalistic. Britain is far more likely to break into two than Turkey is.
We're stuck with them. And as far as countries full of Muslims go, Turkey is probably the most enlightened, having separated church and state 100 years ago.
The trends are worrying there, to be sure, but we don't have to choose between Turkey and Israel, so we just need to grin and bear them.
The 1948 Israeli War of Independence was between the neighboring Arab countries and the newly formed state of Israel. The Arab countries did not send troops to help the people that are today known as "Palestinians" but rather they sent troops to drive the Jews into the sea. Most of the "Palestinian Arabs" fled to avoid the fighting. Remember, in 1948 they were not referred to as "Palestinians". This name was was created by the Soviet disinformation masters in 1964 when they created the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). The term "Palestinian People" as a description of Arabs in Palestine appeared for the first time in the preamble of the 1964 PLO Charter, drafted in Moscow. The Charter was affirmed by the first 422 members of the Palestinian National Council, handpicked by the KGB. This term was formally used by newspapers around the world after 1967.
United Nations Resolution 181 recommended a partition of the territory from the British Mandate for Palestine into two states - one for Jews and one for Palestinian Arabs. But the rejection of partition by the Arabs left in place as the legally operative Mandate for Palestine, the 1924 Anglo-American Convention, and Article 80 of the United Nations Charter. All of the Arab countries objected to the creation of the Jewish state and fought a war against its creation. This was Israel's War of Independence in 1948. Despite their superior numbers, the Arab countries lost the war and the Palestinian state never materialized because of this loss. In the war that was waged, the territory allotted to be the Palestinian state by the UN partition resolution was divided between Israel and Jordan. The "Palestinian Arabs" were rejected by every single Arab country, with the exception of the small percentage that ended up in refugee camps in Jordan where they remain to this day.
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Myths
The "Palestinian People" have an historic connection to the land.
This is very interesting since there is no such thing as a "Palestinian People". When the Romans changed the name of Israel to Palestine, the people living there at the time were Jews, not Arabs. If there had been a "Palestinian People", which there never was, they would have been Jews.
The Palestinian People have been in the land from time immemorial.
For centuries pre-Israel Palestine was a forgotten, desolate wasteland inhabited by a remnant of Jews, along with some Christians and wandering Bedouins who certainly had no thought of a national identity of any kind.
There were no Jews in Palestine until Israel became a state in 1948.
The Romans officially banished the Jews from Israel (Palestine) in 135 CE. However, historical records show there was always a Jewish presence in the land. While many were scattered, other Jews simply moved out of harm's way until a less hostile power ruled the land. Jews were returning to what is now Israel well before 1948. Many left Russia after the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917.
Arabs and Jews lived in harmony before Israel became a state.
Throughout the centuries, Jews as well as Christians, living under Islamic rule suffered persecution and humiliation, the intensity of which was determined by the character of a particular Moslem ruler. As second-class citizens, there was never a "good time" for non-Muslims living under Islamic rule. Because of the way that most Islamic countries look down on non-Muslims, they are always considered second-class citizens and less than equal. Arabs have rarely lived in harmony with anyone if they were the majority.
The returning Jews displaced the Palestinian Arabs
The ancestors of most of the present-day Arab population migrated to the land after Jewish pioneers began to reclaim the land. They came from many different countries and were not original inhabitants of the land.
The Jews stole Arab land
Jews returning to the land settled on unclaimed, unoccupied land or bought land from absentee Arab landowners at outrageously high prices. This is a matter of record.
The Jews forced Arabs to flee Palestine
When Israel was declared a state in 1948, leaders from the surrounding Arab countries declared war on Israel and instructed the Arab civilians living in the land to flee until the Jews were annihilated. Israeli leaders, to no avail, urged the Arabs to stay. Property that they owned was abandoned.
The Jews caused the Arab refugee problem
If Arab countries would assimilate and care for the "Palestinian" refugees, as Israel did for their Jewish refugees, there would be no refugee problem. Instead they use the refugees as political pawns in their struggle against Israel. No Arab country that wants "Palestinian Arabs" in their country as they would rather use the "Palestinian Arabs" as pawns rather than assimilate them into their populations and bring peace to the Middle East.
Israel is the aggressor against defenseless Palestinians
In its brief history, Israel has had one war after another and each time they are blamed as the aggressor. The Arabs do not recognize the right of Israel to exist and are in a constant state of hostility against Israel. Their aim is to destroy Israel.
Jerusalem is holy to Muslims
While Jerusalem is mentioned over eight hundred times in the Bible, it is not mentioned one time in the Koran. Muslims have had little or no interest in Jerusalem until the Jewish presence in modern times.
Maybe you should start a new thread, since this has nothing to do with Israel stealing Palestinian land.
To be honest, I thought the thread had run its course. Usually we're lucky here at LF for people to post something relevant to the article after 5 posts. A lot of threads can't even get a single on-topic post and immediately go into chat-channel mode.
I can only hope I won't get banned for violating the extremely high standards for on-topic posting that LF is known for. ‹/sarcasm›
And the sheer hypocrisy of Turkey, of all countries, to try to make a spectacle over an embassy move by America when it is illegally occupying northern Cyprus for decades seems a relevant comparison of the record of a NATO "ally" taking such exception to our relocation of our embassy, something that is none of their business to begin with.
Most of the "Palestinian Arabs" fled to avoid the fighting.
Almost all. They fled their homes and their land and want to return. Or, at least be compensated. This wasn't their war.
"Remember, in 1948 they were not referred to as "Palestinians".
Well, they were Arabs living in the British Mandate of Palestine. So, technically, they were Palestinian Arabs. The Jews living there were Palestinian Jews. At the time, there was no Palestinian state (or state of Israel). So what's your point?
"But the rejection of partition by the Arabs"
Fuck 'em. Not their call. Because some Arab countries objected doesn't negate the fact that UN 181 passed with 33 ayes, 13 nays, and 10 abstained.
"the Arab countries lost the war and the Palestinian state never materialized because of this loss."
The Palestinian state never materialized because Israel occupied their land due to security concerns. For 70 years.
"In the war that was waged, the territory allotted to be the Palestinian state by the UN partition resolution was divided between Israel and Jordan."
For them to temporarily govern until the formation of a Palestinian state. Not to steal the land or transfer civilians.
While Jerusalem is mentioned over eight hundred times in the Bible, it is not mentioned one time in the Koran. Muslims have had little or no interest in Jerusalem until the Jewish presence in modern times.
Hmmm...
The Dome of the Rock has been there since 691 AD. It was supposedly the site alluded to in the alleged mystical Night Journey of Mohammed though the Koran did not specifically name the site.
The "Palestinian People" have an historic connection to the land.
I never said that, nor have I heard that as an argument. I have heard the myth that the Jews have an historic connection to the land which, because of something that happened 4,000 years ago, gives Israel the right and the duty to occupy everything in the Middle East. So maybe you got your myths confused.
"If Arab countries would assimilate and care for the "Palestinian" refugees, as Israel did for their Jewish refugees, there would be no refugee problem."
Or, if Israel would let these peaceful "Palestinian" refugees return to their land and their homes.
"Israel is the aggressor against defenseless Palestinians.
Sure are. Israel is blockading Gaza, stealing land in the West Bank, transferring civilians to territory taken in a war (in violation of the Geneva Convention), occupying Palestinian territory with troops (for 70 years), and violating at least a dozen UN Resolutions.
Other than that, poor wittle, defenseless Israel has done nothing wrong.
It was supposedly the site alluded to in the alleged mystical Night Journey of Mohammed
This typifies Middle East justifications for everything -- Mohammed stopped there to take a piss 2,000 years ago, so that means all the land within 1,000 miles belong to the Arabs.
3,000 years ago, some tribes of Israel got lost or something, squatted down, and claimed the West Bank. Meaning it's theirs forever. It is written ... in a book they wrote.
Turkey recalled their U.S. ambassador about an hour ago, per the AP.
Ok.
Why should we care?
In the entire history of the world,the only nations that had to build walls to keep their own citizens from leaving were those with leftist governments.
Jews were returning to what is now Israel well before 1948. Many left Russia after the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917.
Unfortunately,too many of them decided to come to America where they could still be Jews and never become actual Americans. The Jewish bankers that fled Russia ahead of the communist takeover took their money with them when they left,and used it to establish secure bases in the west. Schiff was one of them. I have no idea how much property/money he lost when he fled Russia,but he brought enough with him that he financed the building of the Japanese warships that sank the Russian Navy in the Russo–Japanese War of 1905.
I know things were cheaper back then,but few governments could afford to build a new Navy from start,yet this ONE individual had that much money to lend.
One of his great or great-great grandsons married one of Goober Gore's daughters a couple of years ago,so you know they are still making money from financing wars.
In the entire history of the world,the only nations that had to build walls to keep their own citizens from leaving were those with leftist governments.
In its brief history, Israel has had one war after another and each time they are blamed as the aggressor. The Arabs do not recognize the right of Israel to exist and are in a constant state of hostility against Israel. Their aim is to destroy Israel.
Jerusalem is holy to Muslims
We can sum this up as the longest living example of a religious war to determine whose "God" has the "biggest pair".
Ain't religion WONDERFUL?
In the entire history of the world,the only nations that had to build walls to keep their own citizens from leaving were those with leftist governments.
Almost all. They fled their homes and their land and want to return. Or, at least be compensated. This wasn't their war.
Makes no difference. Anywhere in the world you go,when you abandon your property and quit paying taxes on it,it belongs to anybody that wants it.
In the entire history of the world,the only nations that had to build walls to keep their own citizens from leaving were those with leftist governments.
I never said that, nor have I heard that as an argument. I have heard the myth that the Jews have an historic connection to the land which, because of something that happened 4,000 years ago, gives Israel the right and the duty to occupy everything in the Middle East. So maybe you got your myths confused.
Same rule applies to the Jews. You abandon your land and quit paying taxes on it,and it belongs to anyone that wants it that is willing to pay the taxes.
In the entire history of the world,the only nations that had to build walls to keep their own citizens from leaving were those with leftist governments.
It was supposedly the site alluded to in the alleged mystical Night Journey of Mohammed
This typifies Middle East justifications for everything -- Mohammed stopped there to take a piss 2,000 years ago, so that means all the land within 1,000 miles belong to the Arabs.
3,000 years ago, some tribes of Israel got lost or something, squatted down, and claimed the West Bank. Meaning it's theirs forever. It is written ... in a book they wrote.
Ahhhh,you DO understand!
In the entire history of the world,the only nations that had to build walls to keep their own citizens from leaving were those with leftist governments.
Turkey recalled their U.S. ambassador about an hour ago, per the AP.
COOL! Have we told them they can keep him yet?
In the entire history of the world,the only nations that had to build walls to keep their own citizens from leaving were those with leftist governments.
i don't see many Jews using their kids as suicide bombs.
No,but IF you could be bothered to look,you could see decades of Jews playing the historical role of Nazi's while the Palestinians play the historical role of Jews.
Most disgusting of all are the Americans,but Jewish and non-Jewish who blindly support ANY act of aggression of the Jews right up to and including the attempted sinking of a US Navy ship and the deaths of the American sailors aboard her.
If you identify as being a Jew,or anything else,ahead of being an American,you need to take your treasonous ass out of MY country and move your ass to where your heart resides. If you refuse to do this,I don't give a damn what happens to you if you continue to live here. You reap what you sow.
In the entire history of the world,the only nations that had to build walls to keep their own citizens from leaving were those with leftist governments.
I think the Irish actually have that record by about 400 years.
The Jews have been fighting with their neighbors ever since the first Jew was born.
Granted,the Irish are world-class religious nutcases,but even they have to come in second behind the Jews.
In the entire history of the world,the only nations that had to build walls to keep their own citizens from leaving were those with leftist governments.
The Jews have been fighting with their neighbors ever since the first Jew was born.
Not really.
Nobody knows what happened in really ancient history. Maybe the Bible is a somewhat accurate historical record, maybe not, but it seems as though everybody was fighting everybody back then, and there's nothing that particularly distinguished the Jews as having been particularly bellicose, as compared to the Gauls or Germans or Romans or Greeks or Assyrians or Huns or whomever.
After they rebelled against Rome for the second time, they were splattered, everything destroyed, shipped all over the place as slaves.
When did the Jews fight with anybody from about 140 AD until 1948? They had no country and they were minorities everywhere. Lots of people didn't like them, for religious reasons, but where did Jews actually organize and fight? They didn't. Couldn't.
Starting with the Zionist movement in the early 20th Century, some Jews stirred up trouble in Palestine. Pretty small beer considering that the European and US empires were all aggressively expanding and taking vast swathes of territory by force at the time.
Certainly from 1948 until today the Jews in Israel have been at the center of a maelstrom of fighting, for survival.
Tough to call 70 years of fighting in the last 1970 "always fighting their neighbors". Every other major nation has been a lot worse than THAT.
When did the Jews fight with anybody from about 140 AD until 1948?
When they were lending various Kings the money to wage wars.
In the entire history of the world,the only nations that had to build walls to keep their own citizens from leaving were those with leftist governments.
When they were lending various Kings the money to wage wars.
They lent money. The Kings and their tribes took the money because they wanted it, and did the fighting because they wanted to. The Jews of Europe saw a business opportunity and seized it. They didn't cause the wars: the bellicosity of non-Jews did that. Nor did they fight the wars: the Europeans chose to do that of their own volition.
The Jews provided money for that, and every other enterprise. So did Gentile bankers like the Medicis. Barclay's Bank was founded by a Quaker.
In the Middle Ages, Jews often had the money lending monopoly because the Christians read their Bible to forbid the charging of interest among Christians. But Jews could do it, and Christians wanted to borrow money, so Jews were encouraged to do it.
That's akin to saying Hitler didn't murder anyone.
Without the loans the wars wouldn't have happened.
The Jews provided money for that, and every other enterprise. So did Gentile bankers like the Medicis. Barclay's Bank was founded by a Quaker.
Ad the only reason they aren't as guilty as the Jews is because they haven't been doing it as long.
NONE of those bankers were stupid or even ignorant of the death and destruction their money would bring about. They just didn't care because all they cared about were profits.
Just like their modern-day replacements sitting on Wall Street.
In the entire history of the world,the only nations that had to build walls to keep their own citizens from leaving were those with leftist governments.
The time was right for Trump to move that ball down the field. The train is leaving the station and the Palis have almost missed it. They would be wise to negotiate and settle now because their leverage is declining by the day.
Yet the Palis won't be wise and deal now. They have lived the life of terror for almost as long as Israel has been a state.
With one religion claiming the city as it's capital, I predict nothing good will come of it. Would you not be concerned if the Palestinians made that claim instead of Israel?
The Israeli government is very secular in nature actually having Arabs in their legislature the Knesset.
Yet the Palis won't be wise and deal now. They have lived the life of terror for almost as long as Israel has been a state.
Hamas has now come out into the open, listing how many "martyrs" (Hamas terrorists) were killed separately from the civilian death toll. And there were photos and film of protesters cashing their checks from Hamas. It was a terrorist-paid astroturf operation. Obviously, they were playing to the cameras throughout.
These so-called Palestinians should realize that they are treated far worse by Arab nations than they are by Israelis. The other nations few them as nothing but cattle to be used for political purposes. This is well documented.
No,but IF you could be bothered to look,you could see decades of Jews playing the historical role of Nazi's
This crappy thinking has been consistently debunked only to have it repeated again.
Un,huh. You just keep telling yourself this if it's what you need to do in order to be able to sleep at night,but that doesn't make it true.
And "No,not ALL Jews were like this,anymore than all Nazi's were like the death camp guards,or all Germans were Nazi "true believers".
For PC reasons,it seems like a lot of people love to overlook all the ethnic GERMANS that the Nazi's sent to the death and labor camps.
Joining the Nazi Party became a survival method for many Germans.
In the entire history of the world,the only nations that had to build walls to keep their own citizens from leaving were those with leftist governments.
Yet the Palis won't be wise and deal now. They have lived the life of terror for almost as long as Israel has been a state.
I have always wondered how other people manage to keep pushing their buttons and the media never calls them on it.
IIRC,it was the Soviets pulling the strings in the background that first got the Palestinians killing off Jews and Gentiles,and I can't even remember who took over after the Soviets lost power.
In the entire history of the world,the only nations that had to build walls to keep their own citizens from leaving were those with leftist governments.
Hamas has now come out into the open, listing how many "martyrs" (Hamas terrorists) were killed separately from the civilian death toll. And there were photos and film of protesters cashing their checks from Hamas. It was a terrorist-paid astroturf operation. Obviously, they were playing to the cameras throughout.
Yes,and just as obvious,the money and organizational power didn't come from homeless people living in refugee camps. Initially,the training,money,and weapons came from the USSR.
In the entire history of the world,the only nations that had to build walls to keep their own citizens from leaving were those with leftist governments.
Some of it comes from us. Funds are fungible. Others like the rich Arab Gulf states donate some too.
I think we're on the hook for something around $600 million/year for the Palis. On top of what we give Israel and (I think) even still give to Egypt, even after the Saudis outbid us. For a while there, they were so mad at 0bama, they wouldn't even answer the phone at the defense ministry in Cairo. They cut off all contact with 0bama and the Pentagon and the State department for a while. They blamed him for inciting the Arab Spring revolt they had to put down.
Since I am not a Nazi nor a Jew, I don't believe I will lose any sleep.
Frankly, I like watching Andrew Zimmern on the Travel Channel, but this self proclaimed jew eats all manner of pork and shellfish. I guess there are lots of Jews like that.
The bottom line is that the Israelis have been far better to these so called Palestinians than their Arab "brothers" ever were.
Frankly, I like watching Andrew Zimmern on the Travel Channel, but this self proclaimed jew eats all manner of pork and shellfish.
There are all sorts of people who claim to be religious Jews,just like there are all sorts of people that claim to be of other faiths.
Or no religious faith at all.
The bottom line is that the Israelis have been far better to these so called Palestinians than their Arab "brothers" ever were.
I admit to never having cared enough to investigate that claim,but it does seem to be a popular one,and it does seem to have more than a little truth to it.
In the entire history of the world,the only nations that had to build walls to keep their own citizens from leaving were those with leftist governments.
