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Jerusalem Is Israel's Capital

(Newsday) Danielle Pletka - In foreign policy, conventional wisdom has an almost biblical force. The holy of holies is: Do not appear to prejudge the outcome of peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians. But Jerusalem actually is the capital of Israel. It is the seat of the Israeli prime minister, its parliament, its Supreme Court and its president. It is established practice for sovereign nations to choose their own capitals. The Palestinians are cross. Hamas and others promptly declared Days of Rage to do what they do on most days that end in "y," terrorize civilians and destroy property. Moving a building is not a pretext for violence, and all who accept the notion that terrorism has a justification are part of the problem. Some suggest that behind the Trump administration's thinking on Jerusalem is the notion that upending the status quo and going back to the table on the basis of reality could be a path forward. Maybe. Certainly, the status quo has resulted in little more than dazzling prosperity for Israel and growing misery for Palestinians. Ultimately, it will not be the location of the U.S. embassy that will shape the fate of the region. Rather, it will be the birth of a partnership between the two sides in the belief that all will be better off at peace. Danielle Pletka is senior vice president for foreign and defense policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute.
2017-12-22 00:00:00
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