New Yorker (May 14)
National Security Adviser John Bolton said moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem was “merely ‘a recognition of reality,’ but it was actually a suspension of disbelief.” Though dignitaries at the opening ceremony were exuberant, “none of this alleviated the sinking feeling that young Gazans had gained the world’s attention, and sympathy, through their deaths” as Turkey and South Africa recalled their ambassadors to Israel while other countries lodged condemnations.
Tags: Ambassadors, Bolton, Deaths, Dignitaries, Disbelief, Embassy, Gazans, Israel, Jerusalem, NSA, Reality, South Africa, Sympathy, Turkey, U.S.
New York Times (December 15)
“There’s been a lot of backpedaling U.S. since Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. “With the president having made a typically grandiose and poorly thought-through political gesture…wiser heads in the administration are trying to mollify Palestinians and other Arabs antagonized by his posturing.” Their efforts aren’t having much effect. “Mr. Trump could lessen the damage by specifying that the embassy, when moved, would be in West Jerusalem, and by indicating that the United States wants to recognize East Jerusalem as Palestine’s capital as part of a peace agreement.”
Tags: Antagonized, Arabs, Backpedaling, Damage, Grandiose, Israel, Jerusalem, Palestinians, Peace agreement, Trump, U.S.
Washington Post (December 7)
Moving the embassy to Jerusalem could have been used “as a leverage for peace.” Instead, Donald Trump “used it to smash crockery in the region,” which “pretty well summarizes the Trump Doctrine.” Any so called successes “have been things Trump has undone (the Paris climate accord, the Trans-Pacific Partnership) or is in the process of undoing (the Iran nuclear deal, NAFTA). Relations have soured with Britain, continental Europe and countries from Mexico to Australia.” Meanwhile, Russia is gaining power and “the terrorist threat is decentralizing rather than dissipating.”
Tags: Australia, Crockery, Embassy, Europe, Iran nuclear deal, Jerusalem, Leverage, Mexico, Nafta, Paris climate accord, Peace, Russia, Smash, Terrorist threat, TPP, Trump, UK
