By Ari Bussel —— Bio and Archives June 27, 2011
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Simply because there is not a nation on earth that recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Up to a couple of years ago there were some Latin American embassies in Jerusalem, but under pressure they also moved to Tel Aviv and its environs.My good friend in Jerusalem, Danny Seaman (see Wikipedia), corrected me immediately:
First off this is not true, there is one... the Christian Embassy if you insist. Second - The international community decided to not have embassies here for political reasons. They opposed Israel's control of Jerusalem and insisted that Jerusalem be under international control as was stipulated in the partition resolution of 1947. Since Israel's government offices were in Tel Aviv until 1951 most countries opened embassies there and stayed there after government ministries moved to Jerusalem. After 1967 many embassies moved to Jerusalem but after the 1973 war the countries either severed relations with Israel or moved to Tel Aviv in protest. Then when Israel annexed Jerusalem in 1980 the UN Security Council passed resolution 478 which criticized Israel's declaration of united Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and recommended that all nations remove their embassies from Jerusalem. The last ones to do so were in 2006 in response to Israel's "aggression" in Lebanon.The Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress reports about the Jerusalem Embassy and Recognition Act of 2011 (introduced March 10, 2011, H.R. 1006): States that it is U.S. policy: (1) to recognize Jerusalem as the undivided capital of the State of Israel; and (2) that the U.S. Embassy in Israel should be established in Jerusalem not later than January 1, 2013. Amends the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 to eliminate the President's authority to waive certain funding limitations for Department of State acquisition and maintenance of buildings abroad until the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem has officially opened. Requires any official U.S. document which lists countries and their capital cities to identify Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Limits appropriations that may be obligated in FY2013 for Department acquisition and maintenance of buildings abroad until the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem has officially opened. States that for each of FY2012-FY2013, of funds authorized to be appropriated for Department acquisition and maintenance of buildings abroad, necessary sums should be made available until expended only for construction and other costs associated with the establishment in Jerusalem of the U.S. Embassy in Israel. The Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995, a public law passed 16 years ago, had not been completed by the end of the millennium, as originally required. Democrat or Republican in the White House alike has equally opposed it on national security interests. This position of the United States of America, Israel’s strongest ally, creates a solid basis for those who are less eager to support Israel in any meaningful manner from moving their embassies to Jerusalem. A former Ambassador to Israel now back to his country adds:
Salvador and Costa Rica had change of governments and subsequently of minds - eventually giving up to the concerted Arab pressure and moving their embassies to Tel Aviv and Herzlia respectively. It is very difficult to put a finger on it. Everybody construes a slightly different argument. Originally Jerusalem was considered corpus separatum - that is not legally part of Israel. The Arab war in 1948 created a new situation but most of the countries preferred not to get involved. Then came the cold war and need of oil so most of the countries decided not to upset the Arab world. We can say a lot about how nonsensical this policy was and is, but that would be too complicated for a politician. Anyway all learned to live with the split mind - that is de facto accepting Jerusalem as a capital (presenting credentials, visiting the ministry etc. etc.) and at the same time act as if Tel Aviv was more of a capital (having the office there etc.). Considering the fact that most of what is going on in the Middle East and what happens around Israel has a strong taste of absurdity, this is just a minor part of it. So that is the current state of affairs. Everybody waits for someone to break through the stalemate and then the move to Jerusalem would be general. There are also practical problems: For most of the time it is more interesting to live in Tel Aviv than Jerusalem - only in high summer when there are the hot laundry nights in Tel Aviv [because of the high humidity], the breeze makes Jerusalem much more pleasant. Also Jerusalem is not ready at all. At the turn of the century when the peace process seemed to lead somewhere and the move to Jerusalem seemed plausible, Olmert if admitted that Jerusalem is not ready to accommodate at least eighty plus embassies, provide home for them and almost the same number of residences and hundreds of houses and apartments. He added that for some time it would be a logistic nightmare.I was not aware that there were some foreign embassies in Jerusalem, although I suspected that between 1967 unification of Jerusalem and the present, things in Israel progressed so quickly (the 1973 Day of Atonement War, followed by the Arab Oil Embargo, and then the arch-terrorist construction out of thin air of “Palestine” and “Palestinians”) that there was simply no chance to take action. I realize now how simplified this supposition was. To move the first embassy to Jerusalem will take courage. It requires leadership, and leadership is measured by the ability of a person to stand against the tide and do the unexpected, unappreciated and often opposed move. American presidential-hopeful Newt Gingrich recently said that his first point of foreign policy as the next president would be to move the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Even if he turns out not to be part of the presidential race but becomes the next Secretary of State, it would be a long over-due course of action. With each passing day, the tide against Israel is gaining height and strength. The chances of any nation in the world recognizing Jerusalem today are dwindling quickly. The world, after all, is preparing for the day there is no Israel, so why go through the expense and headache of moving one’s embassy? The Almighty, though, has a completely different plan. And thus, if I were to compare the immediate lack of incentive by the nations of the world to the long term plan set numerous centuries ago, I would instinctively choose the latter. Those who would dare to do so now will be rewarded beyond one’s wildest dreams. Now, this is a challenge!
Ari Bussel is a reporter and an activist on behalf of Israel, the Jewish Homeland. Ari left Beverly Hills and came to Israel 13 weeks to work in Israel Diplomacy’s Front from Israel.