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Moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem
(Fikra Forum-Washington Institute for Near East Policy) Hassan Mneimneh - Half a century after the 1967 war, Jerusalem remains a subject that enrages and enflames much of the Arab world. The Arab "street" shows few signs of outrage at the slaughter of hundreds of thousands in Syria but is certain to voice its passionate rejection of any action that affects the status of the Holy City. The value of symbols superseding the concern for suffering human beings has been demonstrated repeatedly in Arab culture. It is rather odd that the national will of a sovereign country to identify its own capital is not honored by its closest ally, which furthermore is the most powerful nation in the world. The U.S. is best advised to present the embassy relocation for what it is: the long overdue correction of an anomaly in the U.S.-Israeli relationship.