President Donald Trump‘s announcement this week that the U.S. will recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, upending decades of policy, drew praise from some quarters, criticism and a lot of silence among local elected officials and activisits.
Among the first to lad the announcement was U.S. Rep. Dan Donovan (R-South Brooklyn, Staten Island).
“I support the President’s decision to formally recognize what has been the reality for a long time: Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. The city is Israel’s seat of government and where the country conducts its national business, and it makes no sense to ignore this fact. Today’s announcement affirms that after eight years, the U.S. is finally returning to our longstanding policy of supporting Israel. I applaud the President for taking much-needed steps to repair our relationship with our closest ally in the region,” said Donovan.
While U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (D) did not release an official statement, his spokesperson said that the Senator has long supported Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and sponsored a Senate resolution this year, which reaffirms the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995.
Additionally, The Hill reported Schumer advised Trump to declare Jerusalem the “undivided” capital of Israel ahead of his announcement.
U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-Western & Central Brooklyn, West Side of Manhattan) said he has long recognized Jerusalem as the historic capital of Israel, and have called for the eventual relocation of the United States Embassy to Jerusalem, the seat of the Israeli government. But that stated, he also noted that while Trump’s announcement rightly acknowledged the unique attachment of the Jewish people to Jerusalem, the timing and circumstances surrounding this decision are deeply worrying.
“This Administration has carelessly risked inflaming tensions in the region, as well as placing U.S. diplomatic and military personnel in harm’s way. Like so much of the President’s foreign policymaking, this hasty announcement was a media ploy devoid of substance and without concern for American, Israeli, or international security interests,” said Nadler.
“The focus of U.S. energy in the region needs to be a return to the pursuit of a two state solution with direct, bilateral negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians. Of course, in any negotiated settlement, Jerusalem must remain the capital of the State of Israel. Today’s decision by President Trump, however, does not advance the prospect for peace in any way. Instead, it is likely to bring us further away from achieving a settlement that all sides can embrace,” he added.
Both Boro Park Lawmakers City Council Member David Greenfield (D) and Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D) hailed Trump’s announcement.
“Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. It has been for 3,000 years since King David declared it so. Kudos to @realDonaldTrump for officially recognizing that,” said Greenfield in a Tweet on Twitter.
“Give President @RealDonaldTrump credit for doing the right thing, recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and not giving in to intimidation… If I were there now, I would hug the President,” Tweeted Hikind.
But Palestinian-American activist Linda Sarsour, who was born, raised and still lives in Bay Ridge, Tweeted, “#Jerusalem is not the capital of Israel no matter how many times Trump says it. He doesn’t speak for me.”
Among those that KCP polled on the issue and did not receive a response include Mayor Bill de Blasio, City Council Members Brad Lander and Chaim Deutsch; and City Council Member-elects Kalman Yeger and Justin Brannan.
