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Moving the American Embassy to Jerusalem: A Necessary, Natural Step

(Israel Hayom) Prof. Eyal Zisser - Sunday's terrorist attack in Jerusalem came a few days after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry chose to warn against relocating the American embassy to Jerusalem, as doing so would send the region up in flames. Perhaps Kerry has failed to notice that the Middle East is already burning, and has been for quite some time now. Why is transferring the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem not inherently hazardous? Because any reasonable person understands that doing so would not change the status of the city or the existing reality there in any significant way, nor would it cause a shift in Washington's fundamental positions on the conflict. Hesitation and trepidation are perceived as weakness in this region and invite pressure, belligerence and even a rejectionist approach. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who never sought favor from anyone, is respected and feared; certainly no one threatens to burn the region down in response to his policies. The writer, Vice Rector at Tel Aviv University, is former director of its Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies.
2017-01-11 00:00:00
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