Sixty-nine years after Israel declared Jerusalem as its capital, and 23 years after the US Congress passed a law mandating that Washington move its embassy there, the US formally opened its embassy in the city on Monday afternoon, in a move Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called "courageous" and "momentous."
"What a glorious day. Remember this moment!" Netanyahu entreated the applauding crowd. "President Trump, by recognizing history, you have made history. All of us are deeply moved. All of us are deeply grateful."
"Last December, President Trump became the first world leader to recognize Jerusalem as our capital, and today, the United States of America is opening its embassy right here in Jerusalem," Netanyahu said. "Thank you President Trump, for having the courage to keep your promises!"
In a video address to the assembly, US President Donald Trump said the move was "a long time coming," and that Israel, like all sovereign nations, has a right to name its own capital.
Trump mentioned that the US would still be observing the status quo in terms of contested territories such as on Temple Mount.
"The US will always be a great friend of Israel and a partner in the cause of freedom and peace," Trump said. "We extend a hand in friendship to Israel, the Palestinians and to all of their neighbors. May there be peace. May God bless this embassy. May God bless all who serve here and may God bless the United States of America."
The occasion was marred somewhat due to approximately 35,000 "protesters" storming the Israeli border to show their outrage over this move. As of Monday evening, more than 50 were killed with hundreds more injured.
'Every country has the obligation to defend its borders,' Netanyahu said on Twitter.
'The Hamas terror organisation declares its intention to destroy Israel and send thousands to break through the border fence in order to achieve this aim. We will continue to act firmly in order to defend our sovereignty and our citizens.'
Naturally the American left used this incident to fortify its position that the U.S. embassy should not have been moved to Jerusalem. Of course they neglected to mention that the "protesters" who stormed the border weren't a bunch of unwashed millennials in the motif of Occupy Wall Street. Quite the contrary, as a fair number of these individuals were armed with grenades and Molotov cocktails (no word on if any leftists/media outlets attempted to blame a YouTube video).
Without a doubt, the U.S. Embassy moving to Jerusalem further solidifies an already strong alliance between America and Israel. This is especially timely in light of President Trump recently pulling out of that sham of a nuclear deal with Iran, which may have motivated Iran into launching missiles from nearby Syria.
WH released statement this morning condemning Iranian attacks & supporting Israel's right to self defense. Imagine message it sends to Iran that Israel can pound Iran's Syrian assets with impunity. Iran can no longer depend on an Israel-hating WH desperate to preserve deal.— Philip Klein (@philipaklein) May 10, 2018
This is why American support for Israel is tremendously important. The Israelis can whoop the asses of those in the Middle East without needing the United States to get directly involved militarily.— Elliott Hamilton (@ElliottRHams) May 10, 2018
I've had my issues with Trump (which I have documented here ad nauseum) and have long been skeptical that he'll be a successful president. However, this is an undeniable victory for his administration, his agenda and, most importantly, the United States of America.
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