Republican lawmakers signing call to move US embassy in Israel

US House Republicans are preparing a letter addressed to US-President-elect Donald Trump, calling on the incoming administration to immediately relocate the American embassy from Tel Aviv to occupied Jerusalem al-Quds.

The letter has so far been signed by over 100 Republican lawmakers in the House of Representatives, and is currently being passed around to garner more signatures.

It calls on Trump to “take swift action to relocate our embassy to Jerusalem (al-Quds) as soon as you take office.”

 “Moving the embassy will strengthen the unique alliance between Israel and the United States and send a clear message to the world that we support Israel in recognizing Jerusalem as its eternal capital,” the text said.

The letter lashed out at the outgoing US administration for allowing the recent UN resolution against Israel’s settlement construction in the West Bank to be passed by the Security Council.

On December 23, 2016, the UNSC passed the resolution after the US refused to veto it, reversing its longstanding policy of shielding Israel from condemnatory resolutions at the world body.

The letter further reads the official relocation of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem al-Quds is “all the more urgent in light of the anti-Israel Resolution 2334.”

“The resolution invites renewed diplomatic hostility and economic warfare against Israel, and we must act urgently to mitigate its consequences and to reaffirm our steadfast commitment to Israel,” it added.

Trump has already indicated that his term in office will mark a significant step in the enhancement of US-Israel relations.

In September, Trump, who was the Republican presidential front-runner at the time, promised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he would recognize Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel’s undivided capital if he emerged triumphant in the US presidential election.

On January 5, Jordan, which administers the holy al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem al-Quds, warned Trump of “catastrophic” repercussions in case he opts to honor his campaign pledge to move the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to the occupied Jerusalem al-Quds.

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) has also warned the United States against the relocation of the embassy, saying all American embassies in the Arab world would have to close in the face of popular Arab outrage that follows such an action.

PLO Secretary General Sa’eb Erekat said on December 19 that the potential move would deliver a death blow to any prospect of the resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict, and would have his organization rescind all agreements with Tel Aviv.

Earlier, the Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations said he could make the life of US diplomats “miserable” should Trump move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem al-Quds.

Palestinians want the West Bank as part of a future independent Palestinians state, with East al-Quds as its capital.

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