DeSantis to Trump: Don’t Sign Another Embassy Waiver, Israel Isn’t ‘Giving Up Jerusalem’ By Nicholas Ballasy
https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/desantis-trump-dont-sign-another-embassy-waiver-israel-isnt-giving-jerusalem/
Some House Republicans are optimistic that President Trump next month will allow the relocation of the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem after deciding against the move in June.
Trump signed the waiver under the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 to delay the move, arguing that he wanted to let the administration’s efforts at fostering an Israel-Palestinian peace process play out.
“I want to give that a shot before I even think about moving the embassy to Jerusalem,” Trump told Mike Huckabee last month.
Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.), co-chairman of the Congressional Israel Victory Caucus, urged Trump not to sign the waiver again, adding that Israel is not “giving up Jerusalem.”
“I’ve been the leading proponent in the Congress for relocating our embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem,” said DeSantis at The Middle East Forum’s briefing on “Organizing for Israel Victory” in the Capitol on Wednesday. “The president promised he would do it. He likes to follow his promises. I think with this waiver coming up in December, I don’t think he should sign the waiver for stalling the move. I think he should let the law kick in, the ’95 law. It’s been 22 years since that law was enacted by the Congress.”
DeSantis said he does not “buy” the argument that moving the embassy has been a “national security threat” for 22 years.
“We did a trip in March. We’ve identified sites. It can be done by just flipping a sign, so I am hoping that happens coming up. I think it would have been more ideal to do it on Day One or at least in May when he went over for the 50th anniversary of the Six-Day War but nevertheless that’s where we are here,” he said.
“To me, Jerusalem is off the table” in talks, he added. “We have to put that embassy there and say this is Israel’s eternal capital, and we shouldn’t have any delusions that somehow Israel is going to be giving up Jerusalem.”
Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) said he is “not disappointed” the embassy has not been moved, but he’s optimistic Trump will do so before the end of his first term.
Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.) shared a different point of view.
“I’m disappointed the embassy has not been moved. It needs to be moved as soon as possible. I hope the next time the waiver comes around the president will turn down the possibility of a waiver and say, ‘Let this go forward,’” Lamborn said. “There’s really no reason; we’re going to do it sooner than later, we might as well do it now.”
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