Seniors Leader Hails White House Proclamation on US Embassy in Israel as ‘Historic’

ALEXANDRIA, Virginia (December 13, 2017) – 60 Plus Chairman and Founder James Martin issued the following statement in response to the decision to relocate the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

The recognition of Jerusalem as the rightful capital of Israel is an issue that has enjoyed broad, bi-partisan support for more than half a century. American presidents have campaigned on this issue for decades and many Democrats, including former President Barack Obama , former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Sen.Chuck Schumer, Sen. Diane Feinstein and many others, have all said that Jerusalem is, and by right should be, the capital of the State of Israel.

This week, President Trump did something not even Ronald Reagan could do; he affirmed America’s diplomatic recognition of Israel’s capital with a promise to relocate our embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv. This is historic not just in the annals of American diplomacy but in global politics. For this, I whole heartedly thank him.

Every new presidential administration starts off with grandiose plans to bring both sides together in seeking a lasting Middle East peace. We have seen this going back decades. Today, some voices are claiming that moving the American Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem will hurt the peace process, but that is utter nonsense. President Trump is preparing for peace negotiations the proper way – by first affirming the sovereignty of Israel through the diplomatic recognition of Jerusalem as that nation’s capital.

It may seem odd that Jerusalem, the ancient home of Judaism and the capital of Israel, was not formally recognized as such until the 21st century. By his actions, President Trump has earned the respect of peace seekers and, I hope, all Americans as we strive for a durable Middle East peace.