Jerusalem Mayor Barkat: Move US embassy to Jerusalem!

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat strongly urged Washington to move its embassy to the Israeli capital, even if the move might lead to violence.

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat waded into the ongoing saga of the location of the US embassy in Israel, telling reporters at City Hall that it should be moved from Tel Aviv to the capital city, even at the cost of violence, the Jerusalem Post reported.

“For violence to occur there could be any reason or no reason and if we, God forbid, because of fear of violence wouldn’t do the right things, there would never be Israel, there would never be a reunited city,” Barkat said.

He also called on Israel not to fear such a scenario, saying, “I don’t think any one of us should be concerned about the potential threat of violence. If somebody wants to create violence in this region, we will fight them and win.”

The United States Congress passed a law in 1995 mandating the embassy’s move to Jerusalem, but every US president since has invoked a waiver delaying the move due to national security concerns. The current waiver expires in June.

President Donald Trump is arriving in Israel next week, and the Jerusalem municipality will be honoring the visit by bedecking the city with American flags.

“Tomorrow morning, the Jerusalem Municipality will begin hanging US flags in the streets on the occasion of US President Donald Trump’s visit to Jerusalem. The flags will hang at the entrance to the city, Jerusalem’s main sites, and thoroughfares where the president’s convoy will pass.” the mayor’s spokesperson announced Wednesday.

Trump repeatedly pledged to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem during his campaign and after his election victory. However, he has dragged his feet implementing it, with contradictory reports coming out of both the White House and Israel over the move’s status.

In the most recent development, the US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley vocally voiced her support for the move, telling CBN’s The Brody File that “the capital should be Jerusalem and the embassy should be moved to Jerusalem, because [Israel’s] government is in Jerusalem. So much of what goes on is in Jerusalem. We have to see that for what it is. The tricky part is where the Palestinians come in on this and where the Israelis comes in on this.”

By: Tzvi Lev, World Israel News

Donald TrumpNikki HaleyNir BarkatUS embassy in Israel