Top US Jewish leaders 'disappointed' by Trump's embassy waiver

Conference of Presidents expresses hope president will consider moving embassy to Jerusalem soon

US Jewish leaders on Friday expressed their “disappointment” at President Donald Trump’s decision not to move the US embassy to Jerusalem at present as he had promised during his election campaign.

Stephen Greenberg and Malcolm Hoenlein, heads of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, said “moving the embassy to Israel’s declared capital would rectify a historic wrong, and would not prejudge the outcome of negotiations as it would be located in western Jerusalem, universally recognized as part of Israel.”

They noted that the issues went beyond the embassy, as recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital would allow Americans born in Jerusalem to list Israel as their nation of birth. “To date, US passports issued to such people only indicate Jerusalem as their birthplace without any national identification.”

Greenberg and Hoenlein expressed their hope that “as indicated in the announcement of the waiver, this decision will be reviewed in the coming months.”

Israeli officials, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have been urging Washington to move the embassy, a measure that would be seen as recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Trump’s renewal of the waiver on Thursday was met with disappointment from Israeli ministers.

Prime Minister Netanyahu with the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations Chairman Stephen M. Greenberg (center) and Executive Vice Chairman/CEO Malcolm Hoenlein at the opening of the organization’s 42nd Leadership Mission, February 14, 2016. (Avi Hayoun)

Announcing the waiver extension, the White House insisted the president still stood by his promise to move the embassy.

“President Trump made this decision to maximize the chances of successfully negotiating a deal between Israel and the Palestinians, fulfilling his solemn obligation to defend America’s national security interests. But, as he has repeatedly stated his intention to move the embassy, the question is not if that move happens, but only when,” the White House said in a statement.

A 1995 law mandates the relocation of the embassy, but provides the president with the prerogative to postpone the move on national security grounds. Each of Trump’s three immediate predecessors — Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama — repeatedly exercised that right.

The Palestinian Authority applauded Trump’s decision, saying it showed the US administration is serious about making peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

Agencies contributed to this report.