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Middle East conflict

US president to recognize Jerusalem as capital of Israel on Wednesday

According to the presidential administration officials, Trump’s decision was based on "historic reality"

US President Donald Trump Mikhail Klimentyev/TASS

US President Donald Trump

© Mikhail Klimentyev/TASS

WASHINGTON, December 6. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump will announce that the United States government recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on Wednesday, White House officials told a media briefing on Tuesday.

"The president will say that the United States government recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. He views this and we view this as a recognition of reality," an official said.

According to the presidential administration officials, the US leader’s decision was based on "historic reality."

The US president will also direct the US State Department to begin the process of moving the US embassy from its current location in Tel Aviv to a site in Jerusalem.

However, Trump will have to sign a document notifying the Congress about a six-month delay in the relocation of the US embassy, because moving it in one day will be impossible in practice.

"The president will sign a waiver in order to avoid fairly significant cuts for the State Department funding that the law requires as a consequence," one of the officials said.

According to the White House officials, Washington has a reliable plan of ensuring the safety of its citizens and assets in the Middle East after the announcement.

Another official said Trump realizes that the status of Jerusalem is a "highly sensitive issue."

"He does not think it will be resolved by ignoring the simple truth that Jerusalem is home to Israel’s legislature, its Supreme Court, the Prime Minister and, as such, is the capital of Israel," he continued.

According to US administration officials, the US leader is ready to support the two-state solution under a formula agreed by both sides. The borders of Israel and Jerusalem are to be agreed as part of this peace deal.

The status of Jerusalem is one of the key issues of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel established control over the eastern part of the city during the 1967 conflict, and has officially declared Jerusalem its single and indivisible capital. The Palestinians want to make the western part of the city the capital of their state.

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Middle East conflict

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