President Donald Trump broke from decades of U.S. policy Wednesday morning as he officially recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel during a press conference at the White House.
The recognition has been met with varied responses, with people like Jeremy Corbyn and Alex Sanz warning of possible instability as a result of the declaration.
Benjamin Netanyahu was ecstatic about the declaration, thanking President Trump with a post and video on Twitter. Trump said the U.S. supported a two-state solution, if approved by both sides.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has refused to acknowledge the declaration as valid and has called Jerusalem the “eternal capital of the State of Palestine.”
For the second time, President Trump did not sign the waiver that keeps the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv. Some view this, in conjunction with the Wednesday afternoon declaration, as a sign that the embassy may be moved, a sign of support for Israel.
Palestinian factions in the West Bank said there would be three days of protests in response to Trump’s decision.